Artist sends a Bonzai to Space

50 year old bonzai tree send to space with a weather balloon, by Japanese artist Azuma Makoto, for Exobiotanica project.

Exobiotanica project by Azuma Makoto, that saw a Japanese white Pine Bonzai and a carefully-crafted plant, suspended from a weather balloon up to the stratosphere.

The project took place last Tuesday. Makoto, said:

“I am using brightly colored flowers from around the world so that they contrast against the darkness of space. The scent of the flowers was stronger and more concentrated in the dry desert breeze than in their humid, natural environments, and the launch site was redolent with their perfume. We needed to shoot the photos and video at an attitude of 30,000 meters and temperature of minus 50 degrees.”