haroshi: skateboard art

screaming my hand, 2010
image © designboom


japanese wood sculptor haroshi specializes in creating three-dimensional art pieces
from used and broken skateboard decks.

although haroshi uses one type of material for his art, skate decks vary widely in size
and structure depending on the factory, brand and model. in creating his sculptures,
he filters through thousands of old decks and individually picks out the perfect board to use.
after they are stacked, cut and shaved to form, they are painted and polished to a
candy-like finish.

not available to the outside observer is another one of haroshi's artistic details.
during construction, each sculpture is given a "soul", a broken metal skateboard piece
that is laid in the core of the piece. unkei, a 12th century japanese buddha sculptor,
had a similar practice of including a crystal ball in his statues as the "soul" of the buddha.



screaming my hand, 2010
image © designboom




screaming my hand, 2010
image © designboom




screaming my hand, 2010 (detail)
image © designboom




screaming my foot, 2010
image © designboom




screaming my foot, 2010
image © designboom




screaming my foot, 2010
image © designboom




screaming my foot, 2010
image © designboom




screaming my foot, 2010 (detail)
image © designboom




mad skull, 2009
image © designboom




mad skull, 2009
image © designboom




tattoo bear, 2009
image © designboom




tattoo bear, 2009
image © designboom




tattoo bear, 2009 (detail)
image © designboom




moose, 2010
image © designboom




moose, 2010 (detail)
image © designboom




moose, 2010 (detail)
image © designboom




kick front fork, 2007
image © designboom




shy peaco, 2008
image © designboom




mario series, 2009
image © designboom




mario series, 2009
image © designboom




mario series, 2009 (detail)
image © designboom




mario series, 2009
image © designboom




love, 2010
image © designboom




love, 2010 (detail)
image © designboom




piles of skateboard decks in haroshi's studio
image courtesy of territory magazine




artists working in studio
image courtesy of territory magazine