tokujin yoshioka sculpts 10-meter ‘star’ from 2,000+ octagonal & mirrored steel rods

Star by Tokujin Yoshioka

Tokujin Yoshioka has unveiled his 10-meter sculpture titled ‘Star’, a permanent installation at the entrance of Tokyo Midtown Yaesu, which is slated to open across Tokyo Station. The public artwork is made of more than 2,000 octagonal and mirrored rods that are stainless steel, their attributes contributing to the crystallizing and glistening effects of the sculpture as pedestrians pass by the installation. When sunlight hits the massive sculpture, the beam bounces off, creating a luminous sculpture of light that Yoshioka intends to gift the piece.

images courtesy of Tokujin Yoshioka

The star represents wishing for world peace

The shining Star by Tokujin Yoshioka mirrors the philosophy of wishing for peace, ‘that the world may be united as one.’ The giant sculpture stands tall first as an artistic commodity to please the viewers’ eyes, then as a representation of hope which has long been tied in with the symbolism of stars.

‘Light for Peace’ serves as the guiding ethos of the artist and designer, and the evidence of its essence reflects in the pointed shards at the end of the rods which help make the star glow even from afar. The design of the sculpture is also reminiscent of the light after the dark or at the end of the tunnel as its inside start from having shadowed imagery, slowly reaching the peak of the light as the rods extend outside.

close-up view of Star by Tokujin Yoshioka | photo by Kaku Ohtaki

Reflecting light through the octagonal, mirrored rods

The more than 2,000 octagonal rods of mirrored stainless steel randomly reflect the sunlight and become one with the surrounding environment, reflecting sunlight during the day, turning a beautiful amber color at sunset, and even reflecting the light of the night sky, creating a sculpture whose radiance changes in many ways. Tokujin Yoshioka’s Star is a testament to the artist and designer’s pursuit to animate figures that arouse the human sense by drawing his sources from immaterealistic elements such as light.

Star by Tokujin Yoshioka is a permanent installation at the entrance of tokyo midtown yaesu