For whatever reason, Japan seems to produce some of the most compelling artists in the world today. Case in point, I was blown away a couple of months ago when I came across pictures of some art by a Japanese artist, Ichi Ikeda:

Even though it might look like it grew out of the ground, that tree stump is actually a piece called “Future Compass” made for an art exhibit about nature and art. (You can read more about how Future Compass was made here.)

During the course of his impressive career as an artist, Ichi Ikeda has made it his goal to raise awareness about water conservation issues. The message isn’t always clear in the art itself, but upon closer inspection Ikeda’s point is loud and clear.

Ikeda uses lots of natural materials, like bamboo, leaves, moss, and of course, water. It gives all of his art an organic feel, like it sprouted out of nature rather than being built by a person.

Just check out Ikeda’s piece “Five Floating Isles.” It’s five islands built out of bamboo, wood, leaves, and other organic materials:

Sadly though, much of Ikeda’s work is shockingly under-documented. It’s hard to find many pictures of Ikeda’s art online, and even harder to find large, quality images.

Even from the tiny, grainy pictures I can find, I’m still astounded by Ikeda’s work. If you ever get the chance to see it in person, go for it!

You can find Ichi Ikeda’s website here.