Artist Fumiaki Aono is transforming discarded furniture into towering assemblages that explore restoration, memory, and the circulation of everyday objects. According to the artist, materials like dressers, chests, and cabinets serve as the imaginative backdrop for constructed scenes where converted drawers resemble urban apartment buildings and vehicles emerge from wooden furnishings.
The Evolution of Found Objects in Contemporary Sculpture
Since 1998, Aono has focused on how objects circulate and reappear in new contexts. Wood serves as a prime medium for exploring themes of restoration and regeneration. Found furniture brings distinct lived histories into the visual composition of each piece. “These objects brought the old memories and lived histories of people into the imagery of the work,” Aono states regarding the transition from plywood and timber to secondhand furnishings.
Did You Know?
Repurposing secondhand furniture adds a conceptual layer to sculptural art by embedding actual historical narratives and human memory directly into the physical medium.
Narrative Assemblages and Urban Imagery
In Aono’s work, stacked dressers transform into bustling residential blocks. Tenants appear to lean out of windows while others gather at street level. Additional sculptures feature box trucks, bicycles, hats, and shoes jutting from wooden edges to convey continuous movement and physical evolution.
From Physical Form to Deep Psychology in Regeneration
Artistic concepts surrounding material reuse have expanded beyond basic sustainability into psychological and historical exploration. “In recent years, my concept of ‘regeneration’ has evolved beyond mere physical form; it has become a highly complex and multifaceted process encompassing history, memory, ancient legends, and the deep psyche,” Aono explains.
Frequently Asked Questions
What materials does Fumiaki Aono use in his sculptures?
Aono primarily uses discarded furniture such as dressers, chests, and cabinets, alongside items like bicycles, hats, and shoes to convey movement and evolution.
How long has Fumiaki Aono been creating object-based art?
Aono has explored how objects circulate and appear in new contexts since 1998.
What does regeneration mean in the context of Aono’s recent work?
According to the artist, regeneration has evolved into a complex process encompassing history, memory, ancient legends, and the deep psyche rather than just physical form.
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