Makoto Tojiki is a Japanese light artist in Chiba, Japan who primarily works with LED sculptures. Tojiki studied industrial design and then worked as an in house designer. After that he became a full time artist starting in 2003. Tojiki is best known for his technique and style of vertical LED strands that are selectively placed to create a 3D shell of an object. His most popular series “No Shadow” makes use of this technique. Shown below are some pieces in the “No Shadow” series.
Tojiki has stated that he is interested in perception and how the memory of different perceptions of the same object conflict with new observations of the object. In the “No Shadow” series as the viewer walks around the piece the perceived 3D surfaces in the work change and give more tangible and fulfilling sense. Additionally the perspective changes different parts of the sculpture are highlighted where the LEDs overlap more, creating a sense of shadow with only light.
Tokiji has also used other techniques, such as shining lasers in mist in his work “man in the rain”. This approach causes the piece to change form as the mist moves and reflects the lasers differently. From a stationary point of view the perception of the piece changes. This constant change makes it difficult to define the form of the sculpture.
Another technique Tojiki has used is binding optical fibers with resin to make a sculpture. In his piece “no title” there are two sculptures of a person in white and black optical fiber were there are sections from each sculpture missing. However the other sculpture, when aligned right, is a compliment of the other sculpture and together form a whole. By defining light and shadow with two complementing sculptures Tojiki is able to explore how light and shadow interact to define a single form.
