- Alexander Kosek
Artist Forages Fallen Flora and Arranges It Into Exquisite Portraits of Animals and Insects
Künstler sammelt abgefallene Flora und arrangiert sie zu exquisiten Porträts von Tieren und Insekten.

Montreal-based artist Raku Inoue 井上 羅来 highlights natural connections in his stunning arrangements. Using found materials, he organizes leaves, petals, and twigs into the shapes of different animals, from scarlet birds to multicolored fish.
Before making these plant-based arrangements, Inoue practiced drawing, painting, graphic design, and sculpture.
“Nature has always been a great source of inspiration and one gloomy day, it given me a sign”. “The rose bush in my backyard was getting rustled by the wind so I went outside and foraged the petals along with a few stems and leaves. I used those to make my very first floral insect sculpture which ultimately jump-started my floral creations that I am known for today.”
When making personal work, Inoue lets the environment determine what he will create next. Due to this, the color palette of his arrangements will shift depending on the season. In the fall, for instance, his art uses warm red leaves, and in the spring, the animals are made of blossoms and green foliage. “Usually, I will find a particular material, such as leaves or a twig that I find interesting,” he says. “After that, I come up with a subject that would make great use of the materials. In both cases, I like to highlight the beauty of the materials and let nature shine through my creations.”
You can purchase prints of Inoue's work via his online store and keep up to date with the artist's latest work by following him on Instagram.