Asuka Hishiki - Botanical Artist
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Asuka Hishiki is a Botanical Artist from Japan. You may have heard of her, or better, seen one of her beautiful and unique artworks.
In early July, I had the great opportunity to meet Asuka in person. In this article, I will tell you more about her and her works.
You may also be interested in knowing what it was like to meet Asuka, where I met her, and what influence she has already had on my path to becoming a Botanical Artist.
About Asuka Hishiki
She was born in 1972 in Kyoto, Japan
Gained the Master Degree of the Kyoto City University of Arts in Abstract Oilpainting
Today lives and works in Hyogo, Japan
Received numerous awards, amongst them the Diane Bouchier Award in 2018
Her works are exhibited around the world, such as in Kew & New York
When you see Asuka's botanical artworks, you wouldn´t think that she actually has a degree in abstract oil painting. Especially the word "abstract" wouldn´t come to mind. Asuka is now known for her outstandingly detailed representation of botanical objects.
This has created many opportunities for her to collaborate on florilegia, for botanical gardens, and her works are shown in exhibitions and galleries worldwide. For example, her work "Wasabi" is part of the Shirley Sherwood Collection and is currently on display at the Shirley Sherwood Gallery.
The work "Wasabi" shows an incredibly detailed branching root system and one must wonder how Asuka managed to depict everything so precisely.
And how did I come to meet this fantastic artist from Japan in Maulbronn, Germany?
Julia Trickey or how it started
Some time ago, I booked a Botanical Art Talk with Asuka Hishiki through Julia Trickey. For those who don't know about Julia's Botanical Art Talks: Julia regularly invites Botanical Artists to talk about their works, techniques, experiences, and so much more.
The setting is a Zoom meeting, where you can also ask direct questions to the guest. Other Botanical Art Talks I've watched in the past include Shevaun Doherty, Lizzie Harper and Chris Thorogood.
I highly recommend the Talks as they give so much value.
If you´re interested about the upcoming talks, at the end of the article, I have listed the links to Julia Trickey and her Botanical Art Talks as well.
Now back to Asuka...
On June 8th, 2023, the Botanical Art Talk with Asuka on the topic "Detail Matters" took place. A wonderful talk in which Asuka talks about her approach to working with real objects (not photos), her relationship with her objects, her experiences, and her preferred materials.
What I found especially kind of her is that she mentioned which artists or friends gave her recommendations on technique and materials, which she now uses in her work herself.
Her works impress and inspire me a lot, and she made a very positive, down-to-earth, and likable impression on me during the talk.
When she finished her presentation, I thought the talk was over. But then she started talking about her stay at the artist's residency in Maulbronn!
I thought, "Maulbronn? That sounds german!"
She continued to explain that on July 8th and 9th, at the end of her stay, she would be showing the works created during her time in Maulbronn as well as earlier works that she had brought with her to Germany.
In my head, it started to spin: "Asuka Hishiki in Maulbronn. On July 8th and 9th - a weekend. How did I miss that? Where exactly is it? Do I have time on that weekend? Can I still get a hotel?!"
I was completely beside myself. I couldn't miss this opportunity!
That this Botanical Art Talk would take such a turn. Who would have thought...
MY TRAVEL TO MAULBRONN
Maulbronn is not exactly around the corner for me. It was a whole 321 km and nearly 4 hours drive to get there. But I did decide to go to the exhibition.
I had booked a hotel for one night and had a lot of time to think about whether I would go to the exhibition right after the drive or wait until the next day.
Honestly, I was super nervous...
When I arrived at the hotel, I couldn't check-in yet. I had 2 hours until check-in. And it was hot that day, 32 degrees Celsius.
“Should I go there today, or should I better go tomorrow?” I thought.
After a pretzel, chocolate, and soda (I needed energy) in the parking lot of a supermarket, I finally made up my mind: “Today. I will go there TODAY!”
As I said, I was REALLY nervous about meeting Asuka Hishiki…
I changed my clothes (still at the parking lot), took a deep breath and moved off.
Entrance to the Ludwig Seeburger Foundation
At 3:28 pm I was there. In front of the entrance of the Ludwig Seeburger Foundation at Stuttgarter Strasse 39, Maulbronn.
I took photos of the entrance area, I guess to buy myself some time... My hear was beating fast…
And then I finally went inside. The rooms of the foundation were very bright and inviting. And pleasantly cool compared to the heat outside.
I was warmly greeted by Mr. Michels, who founded the Ludwig Seeburger Foundation together with his wife Karin Maria Seeburger.
Asuka was talking to other guests, so I took a look around the exhibition rooms.
Our Conversation
When I stood in front of the work "Turezure no kusa: Blackberry and beetles", Asuka came to welcome me.
She was just as friendly and likeable as in Julia's Botanical Art Talk!
Now my excitement finally subsided, and after a few awkward English sentences from my side, I was able to enjoy my conversation with her and ask her questions about her works.
“Turezure no kusa: Blackberry and beetles” by Asuka Hishiki
At first we had a conversation about "Turezure no kusa: Blackberry and beetles" that we were standing in front of.
Like in this painting, Asuka doesn´t always exclusively paint plants; she also often integrates caterpillars, beetles, and other insects, to which she has a kind of love-hate relationship, as she writes in her book "Botaniphoria - A Cabinet of Botanical Curiosities."
Her artworks inevitably remind me of Maria Sibylla Merian's works, although Merian´s main intention was to depict the insects, and the plants were "just" their forage plants.
Asuka told me that she is lucky to know entomologists, or scientists specialised on insects, who occasionally help her with the correct representation of the animals when needed.
Another recurring theme that runs through her works is tomatoes. Individual tomatoes, a branch with tomatoes, imperfect tomatoes...
And like all her other paintings, depicted with so much attention for the details!
The Rainbow Process
When I told her that I find it very difficult to depict living botanical objects within their lifespan, she told me that she doesn´t necessarily depict the state of the object at a certain point in time but rather the object over a period of time.
She calls it the “Rainbow Process.” - Very suitable!
Here's an example of the Rainbow Process she gave me: She starts painting a tomato when it is still green. As she continues to paint, the tomato continues to ripen and she continues to paint what she sees.
This is important!
What she sees at the moment she paints that part of the plant. Not how that part looked when she started her work.
This is one of the advices I will try out for myself to find out, if it could work for me as well!
The Exhibition
Even though I would have loved to talk to Asuka for an eternity, she of course also had other guests, she wanted to welcome...
And so I pondered through the exhibition and admired the numerous other exhibits, including
previous artworks like “Turezure no kusa: After long rain tomato” (2021) and “Turezure no kusa: Pears on a tree” (2022)
the materials that Asuka used for her drawings and watercolour paintings,
sketches for her “Cabinet of Curiosities in Maulbronn”,
a collection of objects (insects and plants alike)
and much more!
In the gallery below, I have put together some pictures, so you can get an impression of what I discovered in the exhibition.
Afterthoughts
I felt very welcome at the exhibition and it was in general a light and positive atmosphere amongst the guests and also the hosts.
Asuka has been very open to my questions and I am absolutely grateful for her taking the time to answer them ALL. Indeed, not just answering them… I have to add that she also always made sure I understood what she explained to me.
It was a pleasure to talk to her, laugh with her and feel her enthusiasm when she talked about her passion - botanical art.
Despite the distance it was the best decision to visit Asuka Hishiki´s open studion at the Ludwig Seeburger Stiftung in Maulbronn.
I could´ve stayed there much longer to observe her paintings over and over again. She is truly a master in depicting all the tiny details of her objects!
Of course I didn´t go without some of her magnificent postcards, she offered besides beautiful prints and her new book “Botaniphoria - A Cabinet of Botanical Curiosities”. I would´ve also bought her book for sure, but I had it already…
Now I can only say “Thank you so much” for stopping by to read my short travelogue about Asuka´s exhibition in Maulbronn!
Thank you & have a wonderful day,
- Carina
P.S.: In my next article I´ll write about Asuka´s new book "Botaniphoria - A Cabinet of Botanical Curiosities"!
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Helpful Links
If you´d like to know more, you can find some helpful links below. More about:
Asuka Hishiki:
Instagram: www.instagram.com/greenasas
Website: http://greenasas.com/
Julia Trickey:
Instagram:
Botanical Art Talks: https://www.instagram.com/botanicalarttalks/
Julia Trickey: https://www.instagram.com/juliatrickeyart/
Website: https://www.juliatrickey.co.uk/talks
Ludwig Seeburger Foundation:
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