It’s rare when you find art that is at that perfect intersection of creative and creepy. I think it’s safe to say, though, that Tokyo-based artist Shinji Nakaba knows how to strike that balance.
Since 1974, Nakaba has been in the jewelry-making business. His speciality is making unique and beautiful pieces that he calls wearable sculptures. His latest project? This series of intricately carved pearl skulls.
“I just want to bring brand-new life to something that has no value,” said Nakaba about his work.
Nakaba doesn’t just work with precious metals to create his art. Some of his pieces are made with aluminum beer cans, plastic bottles, or even just plain old garbage.
For this series, Nakaba struggled to find the right medium for carving.
He went through coral, crystal, ivory, and even precious stones before settling on pearls without cores.
Without a core, Nakaba is able to achieve a smoother carving without worrying about the pearl shredding or peeling.
“I’ve experimented with different types of materials to carve out skulls, but the ones I carved out of pearls are by far the best in terms of the durability. I also thought the contradiction between pristine pearls turning into these dark objects seemed even more appealing. I would call them ‘Fairy Skulls,'” writes Nakaba.
“Only pearls can make my idea of ephemeral beauty into reality.”
If I could afford it, I would buy several dozen of these.
(via Mystical Raven)
For more amazing “wearable sculptures,” make sure to visit Nakaba’s website here. You can also find him on Etsy and you can purchase pieces from him here!
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