Designer Shizuka Tatsuno was invited to hold an exhibition during the global pandemic, a time when many were reexamining what “normal” and “the new normal” meant. As both a designer and an individual living through this unusual period, she found herself reflecting on her next direction.

The theme of this book, “Plum Tree Ame” (a traditional hard candy), was created for that exhibition amid those unprecedented circumstances.

Inspired by a 60-year-old plum tree in the garden of Nadoya, the exhibition venue, Tatsuno developed an interest in plant-based dyeing using the natural color of the plum tree. Like the glass and transparent materials she has often worked with in her client projects, “Plum Tree Ame” is made by boiling down and encapsulating an essence, resulting in an object with a distinctive presence.

However, unlike glass or resin, the material of the “candy” does not possess permanence. Depending on its environment, it melts, crystallizes, transforms, and eventually returns to the earth.

“Even after the artwork disappears, I hope it remains in people’s hearts and memories.”

This book documents the work’s theme from conception to production.

Book Description

Title: A moment in time -ume-
Author: Shizuka Tatsuno
First printing: December 16th, 2022
Price: 7,920 (tax incl.)
ISBN: 978-4-9912872-0-6 C0072
Size: w230 × h300
Specifications: Back binding (hardcover)
Number of pages: 112 pg (2 cover versions)
Publisher: Shizuka Tatsuno
Publishing House: Shizuka Tatsuno Studio Co., Ltd.

Text: Kumiko Ikada (TOTO Gallery Ma), Akira Minagawa (minä perhonen), Takahiro Tsuchida, Shizuka Tatsuno
Translator: Sakura Nomiyama
Assistant translator: Kayoko Hirata Paku
Photos: Gottingham
Creative direction: Shizuka Tatsuno, Takuma Hayashi (Hayashi Takuma Design Office), Shizuka Tatsuno
Graphic design: Takuma Hayashi (Hayashi Takuma Design Office)

Editing: Shizuka Tatsuno Studio Co., Ltd.
Proofreading: Miki Abeta, Yohei Sanjo (ORDINARY BOOKS Co., Ltd), Yuko Ishizaki

Artwork production: Shizuka Tatsuno
Artwork production assistant: Shingo Komatsuzaki
Dyeing supervisor and production cooperation: Yuko Ishizaki (uraku)

Cooperation: Nadoya, uraku, T THREE FARM, Kusaki Koubou
Printing and binding: Iword Co., Ltd.