Close-up of a weathered, rust-colored stone sculpture of a woman with exaggerated curves, outdoors with trees and fallen leaves in the background.
Close-up of a sculpture of a nude female figure made from soil or dirt, with the background of blurred greenery.
A courtyard with a fountain surrounded by circular beds of dried fall leaves, tall trees with green and brown leaves, and chairs.
A weathered, dark stone sculpture of a flame-shaped fountain in a garden, surrounded by brown fallen leaves and reflecting in a small circular water basin.
Close-up view of a mound of dark brown soil with a rough, crumbly texture.
Reflection of trees and sky in a puddle on the ground, with surrounding dirt and rocks.
Close-up view of a textured dark stone surface with some greenery and blurred background.

THE FOREST IS THE SEA’S LOVER

Subject : Artificial autumn garden, scented mist
Installation : Cork and dead-leaf fountain, jardin à la française
Scent : HAHASO par Paul Guerlain
Year : 2024

« Just as with a mother’s love, longed for and never waning, the deciduous trees are called hahaso. Along the rivers, waters enriched with nutrients from their humus flow into the brackish coastal zones. For fisher- men living at river mouths, these trees are truly the matrix from which the riches of the sea are born. [...] Mr. Hatakeyama visited the rias coast of Galicia, and was deeply moved to hear local fishermen say that ‘the forest is the mother of the sea’: thus, in both East and West, fishermen share the same reverence for deci- duous forests—hahaso no mori.»

“The Forest Is the Lover of the Sea”, excerpt from the book by Hatakeyama Shigeatsu

An Ode to the Winter Gardens of the Mediterranean. This work celebrates misty mornings and the brilliant light of the South. Autumn, so often underestimated and overlooked, reveals its beauty through subtle details, moments of slowness and quiet contemplation. Between land and sea — matte and glossy, porous and damp — this fountain pays tribute to walks through wind and rain, and to the delicate interdependence of ecosystems.

Materials  Natural expanded cork sourced from Portugal. Steel base and rods providing structural support. Fallen leaves collected on site with the season Water pump and mister included

Photography and film : © Claudia Goletto, © Aude Volokhoff Garden : Gallifet Art Center, Aix-en-Provence