Used tires are a blight on the environment – that’s something we can all agree on. But artist Yong Ho Ji takes these ugly objects and turns them into incredibly beautiful pieces of art in this series of sculptures.
(all images via: Inhabitat)
Yong Ho Ji’s tire sculptures are made of shreds of old automobile tires. The layers upon layers of rubber bits lend an almost skin-like depth to the pieces, which is perhaps why they come across as almost grotesque in their depth and detail.
The creatures depicted in these sculptures are not entirely of our own reality. The forms are twisted and strange, reflecting a mythical world more than a realistic realm. Animals which look normal and familiar at first are, upon closer inspection, often found to be mash-ups of several different types of creatures or odd renditions of recognizable forms.
The artist uses a unique method to bring the grotesque creatures to life. Using shreds of different types of tires (car, motorcycle, bicycle and tractor), the artist lays the bits of rubber over iron or wood frames. The various types of tires give different textures to the sculptures, resulting in a number of different muscle bulks and tensions.
The artist does not seem to be making an environmental statement with these unusual creature sculptures, but the tires themselves form an essential element of the art pieces. The unique material lends a type of otherworldly, almost uncomfortable, texture to each creature. It feels almost as though we can see straight through the fur and skin of these animals to study their every muscle fiber.

