A3 Limited Riso Prints
by Bienvenue Studios
Riverstones
N° 1
According to a Chinese legend, god was so moved by a monk’s sincerity and loyalty that he praised him with thousands of colorful flowers sent down from the sky. At that moment, as the flowers reached the ground, they transformed into radiant stones.
Nowadays, these stones can be found in the Yangtze River in Nanjing, where the water reveals their beauty through constant movement. Riverstones are coveted collectibles for their intricate designs and bright colors. People try to find similarities with landscapes and other shapes of nature.
Praying Hands
N° 1 / N° 3 / N° 5
The “Prayer Plants” are named after a unique feature: at nightfall, they fold their leaves together in an upright position, as if they were praying for the evening vespers. With the morning light, the leaves open again, sometimes even with a faint rustle. Native to the Brazilian rainforest, there are around 50 different species of prayer plants. They also feel at ease in households in temperate regions. The leaves of some species are used in basket weaving. Some other species produce wax, while others have edible flowers and tubers.The Arawak people of South America used the starch of the plant’s rhizome to absorb the poison out of wounds. Besides being cultivated for its starch, prayer plants are beloved for the visual appeal of their leaves, as they feature patterns looking like they have been drawn by hand.
Viewing Stone
N° 3 / N° 5
‘Jagged and hallowed, scrawny and skinny’: Viewing Stones, originated from Taihu Lake in China, were admired for the extreme beauty that emanates from their ugly and queer features. Battered, created and shaped by water for ages, its pores and holes are formed. It is hallowed, as the soul of stones are washed and revealed. It is said that by looking at the stones, people acquire insights into their own soul. They were popular as ornamental objects among royal families and scholars; they have prevailed in traditional Daoist Gardens in China since the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) until now. Viewing Stone is counted among the highest forms of aesthetics in China. You can find more about morbid aesthetic in our book «Morbid Fascination».
Virtues of Wood
N° 1 / N° 4 / N° 5
We discovered these remarkable deadwood sculptures on a beach in New Zealand and they immediately fascinated us. They once served as a habitat for countless organisms. Now they can be marveled at as a work-of-art created by nature.
Deadwood is not “dead”, quite the opposite, it is a place of rejuvenation. It provides nutrients to young plants and protects them against drought through its ability to retain water. Deadwood is an essential component of the forest ecosystem. Fungi, lichens, mosses, ferns, and many insect species have adapted to this habitat over the course of evolution. There is a wide variety of interdependencies between fungi and insects. Insects transfer fungal spores to the wood, and the fungi, in turn, can be a food source and habitat for other insects. This process is indispensable for the preservation of biodiversity.
Due to forestry and the increasing demand for energy wood, many animals and plants that depend on deadwood are now on the Red List of endangered species. Everyone can help counteract this by simply leaving a piece of deadwood in the corner of their garden or balcony.
Sun Fluttering
N° 1 / N° 2 / N° 3 / N° 4 / N° 5
Since antiquity, people have been fascinated by the transformation of a lifeless chrysalis into a butterfly. It is described as a sign of rebirth. And according to superstitions, witches were shifting into butterflies to steal cream and butter, giving the insect its name. Also well-known is “The Butterfly Effect” metaphor, used to depict the chaos theory in which a tiny insignificant flutter of a wing can start a storm in a faraway area. There are thousands of species on all continents, except for Antarctica. Many of those species are endangered due to loss of habitat, as some of them depend on specific landscapes or plants. Due to climate change, some species have started appearing in areas where they have not been seen before. But most of all, the butterfly is a wonder of nature captivating people all over the world with its delicate beauty.
Pacific Marks
N° 1 / N° 2 / N° 3
Are these stones the product of astronomical forces? Have they fallen from space? In fact, these rocks are the creation of invertebrates that have burrowed into the stone. It is amazing to think that these perfect holes were bored into the stone by living creatures. The larger holes, about a centimeter across, are usually made by bivalve mollusks called Piddocks. They feature a special shell used for boring into rock. It is common to find these stones with holes whose inhabitants have moved on. Trying to remove the empty shells is difficult because the rocks become very fragile; they will disintegrate immediately under slight pressure. As pieces break away, the stones become more rounded and worn, then end up as pebbles on the beach. These stones have a characteristically light feel, which is very unusual for rocks. That lightness has inspired us in our graphical interpretation. We documented the stones and graphically staged them in a way to appear as if they were floating over the paper.
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A3, 297 × 420 mm
Daunendruck Natural paper, 200 g/m²
FSC-certified
Risograph Print, Drucksalon Switzerland
Edition: 200
