sayaka ganz

from the artist, sayaka ganz:

driven by a combination of my passion for fitting odd shapes together & a sympathy toward discarded objects, i create animals from thrift store plastics.

i spent my early childhood in japan but i grew up in several different countries. japanese shinto beliefs are such that all objects & organisms have spirits, & i was taught in kindergarten that objects that are discarded before their time weep at night inside the trash bin. this became a vivid image in my mind. the constant need to adjust to a new environment also gave me a strong desire to fit in & to create harmony around me.

i only select objects that have been used & discarded. my goal is for each object to transcend its origin by being integrated into an animal/organic forms that are alive & in motion. this process of reclamation & regeneration is liberating to me as an artist. 

building these sculptures helps me understand the situations that surround me. it reminds me that even if there is a conflict right now, there is also a solution in which all the pieces can coexist peacefully. though there are wide gaps in some areas & small holes in others, when seen from the distance there is great beauty & harmony in our community. through my sculptures i transmit a message of hope.

.....love this.