Tattoo Simplicity: japan

Sayaka Kajita Gans is a Japanese artist who recycles discarded kitchen utensils, toys and metal items by transforming them into emotive sculptures.

Sayaka Kajita Gans, Recycling Artist

Gans says that her work process reminds her of growing up in several different countries. Moving from one home to another throughout her childhood gave Gans a sense of disconnectedness, which is conveyed through her art. Each item that Gans chooses to use in her artworks are carefully selected, and must meet the requirement of being previously owned, used and discarded. Gans gives these pieces a new life by combining them to create an animal form that seems almost alive.

Above: Convergence II

Gans uses flowing lines to create a sense of life and movement in her sculptures. Each creature seems to be frozen in time, like a single frame out of an animation. Each part of the animal is made up of a series of curves and arcs that further add to the sense of movement that the sculpture conveys. Art made with reclaimed objects is gaining popularity around the world, but it is a rarity to see such skill applied to recycled art.

Above: Fogo

When sketching, an artist will often create motion lines behind the subject to convey speed and movement. Gans has incorporated this technique into her sculptures, as seen above in the sculpture of a running cheetah, Fogo. These motion lines add to the sensation of movement in Gans’s work.

Above: Emergence

In Emergence, Gans has created two horses that appear to be emerging from a wall. The incompleteness of the horse’s bodies portray Gans’s sense of disconnectedness. It creates a transitory feeling of life existing only in a moment, fading into the past within seconds, never to be reclaimed. In converse, it can also form the idea that life emerges from the past, yet is always tied to its beginnings.
In Emergence, one can easily see the shapes of some of the found objects that Gans has used. The ears on the black horse are spades, and the ears on the white horse are large spoons.

Above: Plunge

This piece uses several individual sculptures to create the finished product, Plunge. The penguins depicted appear to be plunging into water, even though they are hung in air. The piece gives the viewer the fun sensation that they are standing beneath the surface of the water watching the penguins dive. Gans has given the impression of water movement behind the penguins by twisting wire into swirls.

Below are more examples of Gans’s sculptures. You can visit her website at SayakaGans.com

Above: Wayne

Above: Deep Sea

Above: Jaws

Above: Walker

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Japanese chefs pride themselves not only on the flavor and texture of their food, but also on the attractive presentation of a meal. In Japan, the presentation of a meal is as important as the taste and texture of the food. Japanese chefs pride themselves on the creative, artistic nature of dish, as well as the flavors within the meal.

Rice Art

By coloring the rice and then shaping it, these creative chefs have created comical, edible characters. Most of these dishes have been designed for the delight of children, but are also enjoyed by adults. The chef uses other foodstuffs in the dish, such as seaweed, to give the character more personality.

Sushi Food Art

Sushi is one of Japan’s most famous and internationally appreciated foods. Sushi is well-known foe being not only delicious, but an attractive, healthy meal. These chefs have taken the artistic food a step further, using colored sushi rice, fish roe (fish eggs), seaweed sheets and different vegetables to create patterns and pictures with the sushi.

Watermelon Art

These chefs have used watermelons as a canvas for their designs. Cutting into the fruit at different depths allows them to utilize a specific color layer within the fruit. The green portions of the picture are the skin, the white is found below the skin and the pinks are found at the centre of the melon. By carefully cutting around the green portions, the artistic chef can create an artwork from the simple fruit.

Japanese food is more than just sustenance. Each meal can be appreciated for its flavor, texture and aesthetic value. This artistic nation can turn any drab, plain food stuff into an exciting edible art work to excite artistic palettes.

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