The “Story of Flowers” is an exquisite and beautiful animated botanical short film by contemporary botanical artist Azuma Makoto. The story and life of flowers unfolds wordlessly over the minuet and a half animated short. Written by the contemporary artist Azuma Makoto (AMKK) and created by the UK illustrated Katie Scott and animator James Paulley.
Scott’s animations and Paulley’s animations guide viewers through the lifecycle of plants. A bounty of plants grow and fill the background as birds and insects intermingle. Your taken into the soil to see the rich ocean of microorganisms that live in amongst the soil of the plants roots. The story continues through the rest of the life cycle, from bloom to pollination, decay and germination. A none-narrative short film, the story created by Makoto is accessible to anyone. It’s a wonderful blending of science and art.
If the style looks familiar, Katie Scott and animator James Paulley teamed up for a similar botanical work called “Publicis Botanical” in 2016, an animated botanical wallpaper installation. The beautiful simplicity in that work is extended in their collaboration with Makoto, a contemporary botanical artists better know for his elaborate floral arrangements and insulations.
Conceptualized for kids, and created with the artists own child in mind, the film was also used as part of an installation at Ark Hills South Tower in Tokyo, Japan.