“BUTSU” (2011 )| all images courtesy Nanzuka Underground
The airy Buddhist deities and temples made by 54-year old sculptor Yuji Honbori at first appear to be made from some sort of metallic material. But you soon realize that they’re undoubtedly much lighter than they first appeared. The Kobe-based artist sculpts them all from discarded cardboard that is on its way to the garbage bin. Snatching them from their destiny, Honbori meticulously transforms them into venerable objects of worship.
“Butsu Hall with buddha” (2012)
I stumbled upon this BBC clip from 2010 the explains a bit about the creative process.
Honbori has always been interested in recycled materials, but not in a devotional way. He got his start making large-scale sculptures out of wood from demolished houses. But it wasn’t until 8 years ago when he was working with wood from a demolished temple that he got the idea. And since then he’s been fascinated with how one man’s trash can be another man’s treasure. His work was most recently part of the Hong Kong International Art Fair in May, as well as Art Fair Tokyo in late March/early April.
“Butsu eleven faced Goddness of Mercy” (2012)
捨てる紙あれば拾う神あり、ということですね。
July 14, 2012 at 11:30 pm
When Buddhas kiss
The moon is pleased
Shivers of light
Soak the night
Shaking loose the breeze
— from my poem “Invisible Shadows”