Pumping life into trash and thrown away objects are artists Hideaki Shibata and Kazuya Matsunaga. The duo works as Yodogawa Technique and swaps waste into tasteful art, using objects that they come across beside the Osaka’s Yodogawa River. One look at what they craft and you will be left amazed. Even in your wildest dreams you won’t be able to guess that this particular art form has been given birth out of waste. They have made eco-friendly sculptural pieces, which give an impression of a physical collage, by using redundant consumer goods and driftwood.
The designer:
The designers of this artwork are Hideaki Shibata and Kazuya Matsunaga. The duo has studied together and have taken part in a lot of exhibitions like “GEISAI (Silver Prize for ‘5’),” “Kirin Art Project 2005 (Grand Prize),” “Busan Biennale,” “Toride Art Project 2006,” “‘SCOUTED! Yodogawa Technique Exhibition (at Gallery ES, 2006)”. Yodogawa River flows through northern Osaka and the artists have exploited whatever they could from it. Hideaki and Kazuya get all the raw material required from the river. Since, the water body flows through the city, it manages to get a lot objects till its bank. All the illegally deposited garbage is collected and used in an eye-appealing manner.
The creation:
Pens, electrical wires and plugs, video cables, lighters, patches of leather, safety razors and an ink stamp, that had been discarded have been exploited and converted into “Diamond Dust”. Potato-chip bags have been shaped into a fish complete with scales while white shavings of plastic have been given a life in the shape of a cat. Their artistic mind managed to mold aluminum scraps into a fly, which has been crafted in a unique manner. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has carefully preserved a creation named “Torii”. This attractive piece of art decorates the base of Juso Ohashi Bridge. The duo has created a lot of things that have been displayed at galleries and museums.
The aesthetic:
Yodo-Tech’s art is best suited for outdoors. The duo has beautifully utilized waste in their creation that they extracted along the Yodogawa River. Since, the river flows through the city, it collects a lot of illegally disposed things and brings till the bank. Hideaki and Kazuya fashion garbage into tasteful art and put it on show near the river itself. This sends a positive message, to recycle waste as well as to keep the surroundings clean. Yodogawa Tecnic is a great way to protect the eco-system and clearly sends a social message to protect our surroundings.
Why should I look out for it?
Trash has been used in an artistic manner to create art forms that range from nature, seasons, animals and inhabitants. Hideaki and Kazuya create things that are vivid and unique; shunning the typical way things can be crafted. Yodo-Tech’s art has magic wrapped over all its creations which makes it an instant hit. Trash has been given a new lease of life which looks all the more presentable now. This is a great way of keeping our environment clean and green. What makes Yodo-Tech’s art standout is the fact, that it has a streak of intensity (in terms of the thought process) attached to it.