Yuken Teruya is a contemporary artist whose work is characterized by the use of everyday materials, such as paper shopping bags, to create intricate and thought-provoking installations. Born in Okinawa, Japan in 1973, Teruya's work is deeply rooted in his cultural heritage and often explores themes related to nature, consumerism, and globalization. Teruya's most well-known series, Okinawa Forest, consists of paper shopping bags that have been intricately cut and folded to create miniature trees, birds, and other elements of nature. Through this series, Teruya seeks to draw attention to the beauty and fragility of the natural world, while also commenting on the impact of consumer culture on the environment. In addition to Okinawa Forest, Teruya has also created a number of other series that explore similar themes. For example, his Notice-Forest series consists of paper bags that have been cut and folded to resemble warning signs, while his Corner Forest series features bags that have been transformed into miniature street corners. Despite the fact that he primarily works with paper shopping bags, Teruya's installations are incredibly intricate and detailed, often taking weeks or even months to complete. His work has been exhibited in galleries and museums around the world, and he has received numerous awards and accolades for his contributions to the contemporary art world.
Yuken Teruya, contemporary artist, everyday materials, paper shopping bags, installations, nature, consumerism, globalization, Okinawa Forest, beauty, fragility, environment, Notice-Forest, Corner Forest, intricate, detailed, exhibitions, awards
CITATION : "Ryan Johnson. 'Yuken Teruya.' Design+Encyclopedia. https://design-encyclopedia.com/?E=263145 (Accessed on July 16, 2025)"
Yuken Teruya is a renowned Japanese conceptual artist. Born in Okinawa, Japan in 1973, he is most recognized for his sculptural installations consisting of everyday objects often sourced from nature. Teruya is best known for his series “Okinawa Forest,” which he began in 2004. This series of pieces typically feature paper shopping bags crafted into sculptural works of art that are composed of trees, birds, and other elements of nature. Other notable works include “Cherries” (2011), a series that involves the artist cutting out round cavities from a cherry tree, then carefully inserting exquisitely crafted paper shopping bags to complete the piece. “Will” (2016) is another famous piece which consists of a paper shopping bag cut out in the shape of a large tree. Teruya has exhibited widely across the globe, from Tokyo to Edinburgh.
Yuken Teruya, Japanese artist, conceptual art, sculptural installations, Okinawa Forest, Cherries, Will.
— Mei Wang
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