toshihiko shibuya installs 1500 push pins in a japanese forest to evoke spawning life 

deep in the ikor woodland of tomakomai, japan, toshihiko shibuya has taken inspiration from the life cycles found in nature to create a ‘micro world of land art‘. as part of the ‘generation 6 origin-birth’ series, the artist has installed 1500 individual push pins to evoke the image of spawning life amid the tree trunks and forest floor.

all images courtesy of toshihiko shibuya

shibuya chose the ikor woodland as the natural cycle of life occurs at a faster rate here than in typical forests. this is due to the soil in the area being covered in a thin layer of volcanic ash from nearby mount tarumae. the trees in this region are not able to cultivate deep roots, therefore when trees grow tall, they fall down because of their own weight. 

the tiny, yet magical intervention, which was displayed for a brief period between september 21-29, 2019, used small white, blue, pink and orange pushpins and yellow golf tees to appear as a mass of eggs or spores deposited by fish, amphibians, molluscs, mushrooms, fungi or slime molds. inspired by ‘natural cycles’ and considering current issues of climate change, shibuya formed the artwork by re-encountering the surroundings and essentially, with the idea to create ‘environmental art’. 

project info:

project name: micro world of land art

artist: toshihiko shibuya

location: ikor forest, tomakomai hokkaido, japan

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lynne myers | designboom