Green portraits

Who put the rubber tree in the desolate Parisian passage? Why would someone put up long rows of potted plants in a secluded, dark backyard in Manhattan and lovingly care for them? On a sidewalk in Kyoto, a miniature torii hangs next to the plants, symbolizing the entrance to a sacred area. Now, a rubber tree is a rubber tree – just like any other. The plants do not have individual characteristics that can be depicted in a portrait. It is the people who have chosen them, given them a place and then – usually – provide them with water and fertiliser. The photos of the plants are green portraits of their gardeners. They tell stories about their motivations and their – our – relationship with nature.