One artist’s take on “mukimono” brings the Japanese tradition of food carving to an entirely different realm. The intricacies of Gaku’s edible art are mesmerizing, but understanding how they’re crafted makes his work that much more impressive.
Using fruit and vegetables are a medium for art is difficult because it means working quickly. Once a first cut is made, oxidation starts to kick in, turning the food brown. Each piece is basically a race against the clock.
According to Spoon and Tomago, each masterpiece is created by Gaku in minutes using a sharp blade that resembles an Exacto knife. His detailed patterns are often inspired by Japanese motifs. Bananas are a good fruit to practice on, he says, because they are inexpensive but soft enough to make carving easy.
Don’t worry, the Japanese artist doesn’t waste his food. He says he eats the fruit and veggies after cutting them up. Maybe his mother never told he couldn’t play with his food?
See more of Gaku’s work on his Instagram.
—RealClearLife
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