Just like how salt is variously used in cooking to flavor dishes, it is also being used in many artworks by artists to express what they want to say. Dino Tomic is a Croatian artist who has gained fame for engaging in salt art. Having suffered from severe wrist pain, Tomic had to leave the art world for a while. The longer he rested, the bigger his desire to return to the art world became, making him seek for ingredients that he could use in his artworks with less pain. With countless thoughts, he decided to use salt to depict famous people. What makes his artworks so interesting is that Tomic creates them by scattering large salt particles from spice canisters without having drafts underneath. Motoi Yamamoto, a Japanese installation artist, has also gained fame for engaging in salt art. In contrast to Tomic, Yamamoto’s artworks include various forms, ranging from artworks where salt particles are scattered to installation artworks that are entirely made of salt. Yamamoto began to use salt in his artworks when his sister died of a brain tumor. Having realized that life is full of futility and that salt is fragile like life, Yamamoto decided to use salt in his artworks to deliver what he wanted to say. Interestingly, whenever he is done with his exhibitions, he launches a project where spectators can sprinkle all the salt particles used in his artworks into the sea.
Yejin Hwang Staff Reporter
1. How did Dino Tomic begin to use salt in his artworks?
2. What is interesting about Tomic's artworks?
3. How did Motoi Yamamoto begin to use salt in his artwork?
1. If you were Tomic who sought for ingredients that could be used in your artworks, what would you have used?
2. If you were Tomic who use salt to depict famous people, whom would you want to draw?
3. If you were Yamamoto, what kind of installation artworks would you like to make?
4. Do you find Yamamoto's project interesting?
Just like how salt is variously used in cooking to flavor dishes, it is also being used in many artworks by artists to express what they want to say. Dino Tomic is a Croatian artist who has gained fame for engaging in salt art. Having suffered from severe wrist pain, Tomic had to leave the art world for a while. The longer he rested, the bigger his desire to return to the art world became, making him seek for ingredients that he could use in his artworks with less pain. With countless thoughts, he decided to use salt to depict famous people. What makes his artworks so interesting is that Tomic creates them by scattering large salt particles from spice canisters without having drafts underneath.
