"I believe salt has a force to heal grief."
So says Japanese artist Motoi Yamomoto of his hypnotic installations that honor his sister, who passed away at only 24 years old. Salt, a symbol of both vitality and death, is used to convey the ephemerality of existence in Yamomoto's work. As a tribute to her memory and place in the Earth's eternal cycle, the artist arranges salt crystals into intricate lattices, turning a ubiquitous commodity into a vessel of mystery and awe. In this way, Yamamoto's labyrinths, which we first covered in March, look as if they were conjured in a dream.
Yamamoto told Force of Nature: "Drawing a labyrinth with salt is like following a trace of my memory. Memories seem to change and vanish as time goes by. However, what I seek is the way in which I can touch a precious moment in my memories that cannot be attained through pictures or writings."
After the installation is complete Yamamoto releases his medium back into the earth. The artist says: "It does not matter if the work lasts or does not last. I use salt. It lasts as long as it will.”
Check out Yamamoto's video for the Avant Garde diaries above and see more of his breathtaking saltscapes below.