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.

 

 

intricately crafted botanical ashtrays by azuma makoto
the free-standing ashtray is made from a mass of horticultural materials

 

 

intricately crafted botanical ashtrays by azuma makoto
details of azuma makoto’s ashtray display the layers of flora that are incorporated into each sculpture
 

 

intricately crafted botanical ashtrays by azuma makoto
lush labyrinths of green vegetation are intertwined into another version of the botanical ashtray

 

 

intricately crafted botanical ashtrays by azuma makoto
colored leaves and flowers blanket the organic form (left), close-up view of a cigarette placed on the filter of the structure  (right)

 

 

intricately crafted botanical ashtrays by azuma makoto
unique species of flora are crated into the functional items

 

 

intricately crafted botanical ashtrays by azuma makoto
an image of the ashtray from above (left), a lit cigarette sits on the the base of the ashtray

 

 

intricately crafted botanical ashtrays by azuma makoto
the vessel mimics the exact shape and form of the base of a tree

 

 

intricately crafted botanical ashtrays by azuma makoto
the roots of a tree become the base of the botanical ashtray