“まんが農業” 2010 “MANGA Farming” Comic book, Seeds (Radish sprout), Water, Sun, Air
Growing plants on old books… could this be something to try at your local library?
Last spring, Tokyo-based artist Koshi Kawachi exhibited his “Manga Farming” pieces in an installation at the Matsuzakaya department store in Nagoya, Japan. Kawachi uses old MANGA comic books as the growing medium for radish, basil, buckwheat and broccoli seedlings.
Aside from the obvious novelty factor, these pieces are striking because they are contradictory and playful on different levels. There is the contrast between the old and the new: using the old (worn MANGA comics) to grow the new (radish sprouts). There is also the contrast between the man-made and the natural: using a material made by humans to be consumed by humans, like a MANGA comic book, as a foundation for replenishing the natural.
“まんが農業” 2009 “MANGA Farming” Comic book, Seeds (Radish sprout), Water, Sun, Air
“まんが農業” 2009 “MANGA Farming” Comic book, Seeds (Radish sprout), Water, Sun, Air
“まんが農業” 2010 “MANGA Farming” Comic book, Seeds (radish, buckwheat, broccoli, rucola ,basil) , Water, Sun, Air
“まんが農業” 2009 NAGOYA MATSUZAKAYA “MANGA Farming” Comic book, Seeds (Radish sprout), Water, Sun, Air
*Photos courtesy of the Pink Tentacle.
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I LOVE this! I’m going to try it with bean sprouts.
Amazingly cool idea. I want to try this one with my old phone book!