intricately crafted botanical ashtrays by azuma makoto

intricately crafted botanical ashtrays by azuma makoto
all images courtesy of azuma makoto

japanese artist and designer azuma makoto has created a collection of intricately crafted botanical structures that function as ashtrays. the floral sculptures employ a variety of horticultural materials and objects like layers of folded leaves, roots from a tree, moss, and vibrantly colored flowers. varying in style, the compositions include both lush labyrinths of vegetation and simple representations of nature: one vessel mimics the exact shape and form of the base of a tree, with a sharp cut-off top fitted with a filter as the ashtray component. juxtaposing their function, to collect the ashes from a cigarette, the organic constructions repurpose and adapt the environmental findings to be practical forms of product design.

the free-standing ashtray is made from a mass of horticultural materials

details of azuma makoto’s ashtray display the layers of flora that are incorporated into each sculpture
 

lush labyrinths of green vegetation are intertwined into another version of the botanical ashtray

colored leaves and flowers blanket the organic form (left), close-up view of a cigarette placed on the filter of the structure  (right)

unique species of flora are crated into the functional items

an image of the ashtray from above (left), a lit cigarette sits on the the base of the ashtray

the vessel mimics the exact shape and form of the base of a tree

the roots of a tree become the base of the botanical ashtray