GRASSLAND
Ingo Arndt

PROJECT

GONE ARE THE TIMES WHEN THE TERM „GRASS“ INVOKED ONLY IMAGINATIONS OF GREEN LAWN. GRASS IS TRENDY! WHEREVER WE LOOK, WE SEE VARIOUS GRASS SPECIES USED AS DECORATIVE PLANTS. PEOPLE ARE FASCINATED BY THE BEAUTY AND DIVERSITY OF GRASSES.

BUT GRASS IS NOT JUST BEAUTIFUL AND SPECIES-RICH; IT IS ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT OF ALL GROUPS OF PLANTS. IT OCCURS WORLDWIDE IN ALL CLIMATE ZONES AND FORMS THE BASIS OF SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT HABITATS ON OUR PLANET. HERDS OF WILDEBEEST AND ZEBRAS IN THE AFRICAN SAVANNAH, MIGHTY BISON IN THE AMERICAN PRAIRIE AND SHY GAZELLES IN THE MONGOLIAN STEPPE – MANY MILLIONS OF ANIMALS WOULD NOT EXIST WITHOUT GRASSLANDS. FEW OTHER HABITATS PROVIDE SO MUCH BUT HAVE BEEN SO GREATLY UNDERRATED IN THE PAST.

FOR TWO YEARS, INGO ARNDT, ONE OF THE INTERNATIONALLY MOST RENOWNED WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHERS, VISITED GRASSLANDS ALL OVER THE WORLD. IN BREATHTAKINGLY BEAUTIFUL PICTURES HE SHOWS THESE HABITATS AND THE ANIMAL SPECIES THAT LIVE IN THEM. PICTURES TAKEN IN THE WILD ARE COMPLEMENTED BY DETAILED VIEWS OF VARIOUS GRASS PLANTS, PHOTOGRAPHED IN A FIELD STUDIO. IN THIS WAY INGO ARNDT GIVES SPECIAL PROMINENCE TO THE GRASSES, THESE MASTERPIECES OF NATURE, AND THEIR IRRESISTIBLE AESTHETICS.