‘Hikaru Dorodango’ is the Japanese Art of Turning Dirt into Perfect Spheres

Artist Bruce Gardner is a master of a curious Japanese artform called hikaru dorodango (literally: ‘shiny dumpling’) where regular dirt is slowly crafted into perfect shiny spheres. The objects take several hours make as increasingly finer particles of dirt are applied to create each layer. Depending on the desired effect, a cloth might be used to create apply a fine layer of varnish to give the final outer layer a sheen akin to a billiard ball. Despite their appearance the completed dorodango remain extremely fragile and have to be treated with great care. It seems the purpose of making them might be more focused on the meditative benefits derived from process itself rather than the longevity of the artworks. (via Kottke)





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