Pleasure Garden, Issue Six – Autumn/Winter 2019

Taking inspiration from the pleasure gardens of 18^th century London this magazine engages its public with an array of attractions – ranging from the past to the present, the sedate to the salacious. Here we step away from the practicalities of the garden instead placing it within a wider cultural context. The pleasure garden was always a place to escape to – a fantasy in a garden, filled with art, music, fashion, society and sex. It is this mix that we transport to the printed pages of Pleasure Garden.

In this issue:

A Japanese Dream finds us exploring our subconscious travels and interpretations of the Land of the Rising Sun.

Our Icon Isamu Noguchi is a man who represents much of the dialogue between Japan and the West through the twentieth century. Within his work we find an inspired mixture of cultures – Hiromi Matsugi looks deeper into this in Beyond Borders. We also delve into the playful side of Noguchi’s work in The Landscape of Play with words byVincent Romagny and Moerenuma Park in Hokkaido photographed by Sebastian Sabal-Bruce.

Oliva Meehan looks at the opening up of Japan in the late nineteenth century in Some Japanese Flowers and Trees for the imagination and Anne Koval also reflects on the Japonisme influencing the artist Whistler’s work in Nocturne.

Amy Merrick talks to her first Ikebana teacherWatarai Toru about nature, balance and his inspiring relationship with flowers. Also in our largest ‘Flowers’ section Danielle Demetriouuncovers the fascinating story of Katagiri Atsunobu and the Chrysanthemum comes under the spotlight in Observance for Late Autumn.

We explore Kyoto and its hidden side with Amy Merrick, photographs by Jeff Boudreau and talk tea with Christian Smith. Dan Pearson shares his thoughts on a personal connection to Japan, its influence and resonance.

With photography from Lena C. Emery, Josh Olins, Suffo Moncloa and Yoshiyuki Matsumura, this issue takes us to a Japan through many different impressions of a land that continues to inspire our imagination.