In Jack Davison's encounter with the Miao cultural groups of Southwest China this young and prolific artist explores how speed, rhythm and place interact with ancient traditions in the 21st Century. The Miao are a key inspiration for Italian fashion house Marni, and so Davison was invited by creative director Francesco Rizzo to spend time and reflect on the pace of life and creativity in these rural communities. Song Flowers eschews the intricate and grandiose qualities of Miao craftsmanship to look at the intimate and everyday - the hammers laid down after a day’s silverwork, the highway running over the waterlilies, or the stray threads accumulating in the weaver’s workshop.

Song Flowers is a project conceptualised, edited and produced by Loose Joints Studio for Marni as an extension of their own collaborations with Miao artisans. The book takes Jack's soulful photos and uses richly tactile Japanese papers to create rhythm and texture throughout. The cover takes inspiration from Miao patterns and mythologies through a contemporary lens, and texts in English and Chinese explore the landscape and histories of the region.

Purchase through Loose Joints Publishing →