Every day for the last 13 years, artist Tatsuya Tanaka has created a miniature scene using ordinary household objects. That means that he has conceived over 4,700 pieces, and every single one is as wonderful as the last, if not more so. Tanaka's daily works are a testament to his boundless imagination, which has allowed him to find new meanings and possibilities in every item he comes across.
The compact compositions are all part of his never-ending Miniature Calendar, and like every other calendar, it gets even more playful around certain holidays. In Tanaka's tiny worlds, a lumpy orange doubles as Santa Claus' sack—which is ready and bursting with sweet gifts. Meanwhile, an assortment of candles of many sizes, when lit up against a purple background, emulates a spooky, towering castle where monsters live.
Still, a regular day in Tanaka's world is anything but dull. On the contrary, it's as if the artist encourages us to dream up something every single day. In his creations, some strategically placed black bookmarks in a book can make the whole thing double as a piano; meanwhile, a keyboard is reimagined as the background decorations in a traditional sushi restaurant. And bringing it all full circle, a computer keyboard acts as a teppanyaki grill.
Tanaka is no stranger to inviting pop culture characters to his creations, either. He raises the stakes by keeping each composition true to its respective scene while adding a cheeky twist. As such, we've recently seen Gandalf's staff as a crunchy cheese snack, Aladdin flying on an accurately shaped piece of bacon, and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' Michelangelo's shell made out of an—equally sturdy—iPhone sim card.
Most charmingly, many of Tanaka's creations re-visualize mundane experiences, like taking a shower or riding on an elevator, through a creative lens. “Creating something that can be understood by people from many different countries brings to light the fact that we are all human, irrespective of our religion or nationality,” the artist told Tokyo Weekender. “In the current world, people talk a lot about diversity. They want us to respect differences, but why don’t we look for the things which unite us?”
To stay up to date with the delightful daily scenes this artist creates, make sure to follow Tatsuya Tanaka on Instagram.
Every day for the last 13 years, artist Tatsuya Tanaka has created a miniature scene made of household objects.
That means that he has conceived over 4,700 pieces, and every single one is as wonderful as the last.
Tanaka's daily works are a testament to his boundless imagination, which has allowed him to find new meanings and possibilities in every item he comes across.
The miniature compositions are part of the artist's never-ending Miniature Calendar.
It's as if the artist encourages us to dream up something every single day.
Tanaka is no stranger to inviting pop culture characters to his creations either.
And on holidays, he celebrates the best way he knows how — through clever miniature scenes.
Tatsuya Tanaka: Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Tatsuya Tanaka.
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