It's great to know that there are people who almost always create content that portrays intelligence, creativity, and proof that there is no limit to the imagination. In this article, we will be looking at the work of a Japanese artist named Haruki who manages to create art with materials that would go to waste. You might remember his other works from our previous article here.
With the increasing amount of waste that is thrown away every day, we must constantly invent ingenious ways to combat this problem we ourselves have created that threatens the environment. Over as much as 2000 landfills are open in the United States and about nine-tenths of its waste is not recycled (source). The situation is dire, but does that mean that this acute problem can only be tackled with high-tech solutions? Not necessarily! Every effort we make towards a greener future counts, even if they are small-scale, like an upcycling of used packages into miniature works of art.
Haruki-'sensei' is truly a master of his craft. Not only are his works awe-inspiring, the sculptures are anything but random! It appears as if the artist looks straight into the 'core' of no longer useful packaging and draws out something spectacular - be it a character, a building or anything in between. All there's left to the process is to cut, cut and cut again, then fold.
The words that are used to describe this type of art are 'Kiries' and 'Kirigami' meaning the art of cutting paper. Kirigami is a form of paper art and a not-so-distant cousin of origami. The name comes from the Japanese words "kiru" (to cut) and "kami" (paper). However, kirigami doesn't rely solely on the folding, as is the case with origami. Instead, those practicing kirigami readily employ both folding and a skilfull cutting of the paper. Another thing worth noting is that typically kirigami is not known for its use of glue (though, exceptions do occur).
Originally, Kirie has more association with traditional Japanese art, but Haruki deftly re-adapted and customized this art his own way, showing a strong predilection towards a pop-style art.
We are sure that after seeing this artist's works, you won't be able to look at the packaging the same way!
More info: twitter.com
