Succulents: Nature's Sculptural Wonders

Succulents: Nature's Sculptural Wonders by Kalman, Bela. hardcover edition. ISBN: 9780847823338.

Turning his exceptional eye to some of natures most unique creations, acclaimed photographer Bela Kalman has created in Succulents a photographic work that is at once striking, otherworldly, surprising, virtually three-dimensional, and nothing short of spectacular. Every photograph in this dynamic book is set against a rich black background, which captures the many textural, sensual, and sculptural qualities of these unusual plants. The variety is staggering: some look like golf balls lightly dusted with moss, and some resemble an Art Deco skyscraper; some have antlerlike growths, while others could pass for a plate of fresh spinach linguine or a model of a spacecraft from another planet. Their vernacular names are no less colorful: Greater Dumplin, Baby Toes, Mexican Old-Man, Brain Cactus, Tiger Chaps, and Cats Jaw. With an introduction and witty, informative captions by noted succulent authority Steven Hammer, Succulents not only identifies each of the 120 exotic plants within, but also reveals their unique characteristics and intriguing artfulness.