Motoi Yamamoto is a Japanese artist that uses salt as the main material to create his artworks. In Asia, salt is a symbol of purification; for example, in Japan small plates with salt are usually placed at the entrance of restaurants to protect them against evil spirits. Salt is also used in Shintoist rituals and to purify the ring before sumo combats. One of the most interesting things that Motoi Yamamoto does are super-intricate labyrinths using only salt. It is impressive how much patience, dedication and attention to detail he possesses.
In this videos you can appreciate the process that Motoi Yamamoto follows to create his salt labyrinths.
These last two photos are from another artwork by Motoi; he “creates leaves using salt”.
Sources: Pjorge Google Reader, more photos, Motoi’s official website.
Some of his labyrinths will be shown in the Century Museum of Contemporary Art in Kanazawa , from the end of April until the end of August.
3 replies on “Salt labyrinths by Motoi Yamamoto”
Those objects in the last photo are not leaves; they are stylized “sakura” cherry blossom petals, which are a staple in Japanese textile design- esp. women’s kimono (I know this because I collect kimono. ^^;)
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I thought Cherry Blossoms…there is poignant Japanese word–hanafubuki–that captures the idea of petals like falling snow. Love that it is done in salt.