Japanese artist Nagato Iwasaki creates hauntingly beautiful sculptures from a surprising source: driftwood. These found objects are transformed into evocative human-like figures, their weathered texture and organic shapes lending them an undeniable eeriness. Iwasaki’s work compels viewers to confront the impermanence of life and the enduring power of nature.
The artist’s choice of material is both unique and symbolic. Driftwood, once a living tree, has been tossed by the waves and weathered by the elements. In Iwasaki’s hands, it is given new life, taking on a human form that seems both familiar and strange. The sculptures’ imperfections and rough surfaces become part of their beauty, a reminder of the natural world’s raw power.
Iwasaki’s sculptures are more than just art; they are a meditation on our place in the universe. By using found materials and creating figures that are both human and otherworldly, he challenges us to consider our own mortality and the interconnectedness of all living things.
More info: Website, Instagram.
