72 pgs, 30 × 40 cm, Softcover, 2013,

One of the most recent series produced by the celebrated Japanese photographer, Materia presents images of trees and vegetation on the island of Yakushima, which forms part of Kirishima-Yaku National Park and is home to a unique remnant of a warm-temperate primeval forest, a natural World Heritage Site since 1993. With its humid subtropical climate, the area receives the highest amount of precipitation in Japan, a fact reflected in the rich green palette of mosses and leaves featured in these magnificent, large-format photographs, beautifully printed on high-quality paper. Uedas expedition takes him deep into the inspiring realm of the ancient forest undergrowth.