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The Shibuya Diesel art gallery is currently featuring an exhibition by Berlin-based artist Sarah Illenberger in collaboration with creative director Miho Kinomura. The show, titled Reality & Fantasy, has some decidedly bizarre re-imaginations of everyday objects that nevertheless radiate a childlike charm.

Illenberger was born in 1976 and studied at the prestigious Central Saint Martins graphic design program at the University of the Arts London. In 2001, she launched her own jewelry brand, and since 2003 has been working as a freelance graphic designer, set designer, and art director, work which has garnered her several awards.

Her work is distinguished by the recreation of everyday objects with unexpected media, such as produce, plants, magazine clippings, metal, textiles, paper or wood. She has made an apple made from hair, knitted internal organs, dresses modeled on vegetables, a rain shower of watermelon seeds, jewels carved from pomegranate seeds, and headphones made from lunch box cups, among many other things.

In 2011, Illenberger’s artist book caught the eye of Kinomura, who decided to bring her to Japan for an exhibition. She traveled to Berlin to photograph some of Illenberger’s most famous pieces, and these photos, along with pieces from Illenberger’s Strange Fruit series and other 3-D art pieces, are on display at the gallery.

As an added bonus, during the exhibition, the gallery’s cafe will be offering a special “Strange Fruit”-themed smoothie menu for 700 yen (US$7) )each, including Passion (a citrus blend with orange and passion fruit), Fiber (celery, avocado and pineapple), and Diamond Beets (carrots, beets and blood orange juice).

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The exhibition is scheduled to run until August 18. Entry is free.

Shop Info:
DIESEL ART GALLERY
Address: cocoti B1F, 1-23-16, Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Tel: 03-6427-5955
Hours: 11:30 – 21:00
Holidays: Non-regular holiday
Web: http://www.diesel.co.jp/art

Source: Shibuya Keizai Shinbun
Images: Diesel Art Gallery