Did you ever blow on dandelions as a child? The sight of their fluffy seeds floating in the air is one of life’s simple pleasures and has inspired Japanese artist Shota Suzuki. The Kyoto-based creative pays homage to the humble dandelion with his incredible metal sculptures.
Weeds such as dandelions are often considered undesirable in a garden, but Suzuki hopes his sculptures will encourage people to appreciate the “plants on the roadside.” To begin, the artist walks around his neighborhood in search of the weeds in yards or sidewalk cracks. He then heads back to his studio to begin recreating the delicate botanicals in metal. Suzuki captures their underrated beauty by sculpting their stems, flowers, buds, and even their tiny seeds from brass, copper, and
Suzuki begins each piece by cutting out the shapes from a metal plate before using a hammer and a chisel to add realistic texture. His metal leaves feature thin veins, and petals appear to delicately curl up at the ends. Even the tiny seeds look as though they could float away. Depending on the sculpture’s final design, more than a hundred individual metal parts are brazed and assembled.
Suzuki colors his sculptures using chemical processes such as rusting, sulfurization, and oxidation. He also creates patinas that are traditional in Japan, such as tanpan coloring and niiro, which traditionally uses daikon juices to alter the metal. The results create elements that look just like their real counterparts. Each tarnished and textured leaf and stem features a rich array of natural hues, as well as subtle golden accents.
Suzuki doesn’t only create dandelion sculptures; he produces all kinds of botanicals in metal. “I am more interested in the state of plants that change and live every day in nature than in the appearance of plants themselves,” he tells My Modern Met. “Flowers bloom, and from full bloom, they quickly bud, leaf, color, and wither. When the wind blows, the stems sway and dance, and petals and dead leaves dance in the air like circuses.” The artist adds, “The ever-changing appearance of nature is not the same as an instant, it’s very beautiful, therefore I am impressed with the mysteries of life.”
Check out Suzuki’s striking flower sculptures below and find more of his work on his
Artist Shota Suzuki captures the underrated beauty of dandelions with his incredible metal sculptures.
Each individual element is cut from bass, copper, or silver.
Suzuki colors his sculptures using chemical processes such as rusting, sulfurization, and oxidation.
The artist hopes his life-like sculptures will encourage people to appreciate “plants on the roadside.”
When he’s not sculpting dandelions, Suzuki creates works inspired by other flowers and leaves.
Shota Suzuki: Website | Instagram
My Modern Met granted permission to use photos by Shota Suzuki.
Related Articles:
Japanese Artist Creates Animal Sculptures Made From Metallic Flowers
Japanese Artist Handcrafts Hair Accessories That Look Like Delicate Flowers
Recycled Materials Form Ornate Flower Sculptures
Artist Creates Delicate Sculptures Made from Pressed Flowers
EMMA TAGGART
Emma Taggart is a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met. Originally from Northern Ireland, she is an artist now based in Berlin. After graduating with a BA in Fashion and Textile Design in 2013, Emma decided to combine her love of art with her passion for writing. Emma has contributed to various art and culture publications, with an aim to promote and share the work of inspiring modern creatives. While she writes every day, she’s also devoted to her own creative outlet—Emma hand-draws illustrations and is currently learning 2D animation. Read all posts from Emma Taggart LIKE THESE SCULPTURES? SHARELIKE MY MODERN MET ON FACEBOOK GET OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTERBECOME A
MY MODERN MET MEMBERAs a member, you’ll join us in our effort to support the arts.BECOME A MEMBER
Explore member benefits
For More Information About This Blog Post, Click Here!
Delaram Art & Design 
Leave a Reply