Shoichi Sakurai: 'The Art of Enlightenment'

There's something extra special about an artist who can look at something old and discarded and transform it into a work of art. Even better when that art becomes something functional too. Shoichi Sakurai's work embodies the concept of wabi-sabi, which in its simplest translation means 'the beauty of things imperfect' (although it has a far more layered meaning than this). He sources every type of material one can imagine from every sort of environment. You might call him a 'recycle artist', but this too would be the simplest translation of what he does. The magic in his work lies less in his DIY ethos and in his ability to resurrect the discarded materials he shapes, giving life to the history contained within each piece he produces.