Japanese Shinto beliefs are such that all objects and organisms have spirits — even those that we perceive as “trash.” Artist Sayaka Ganz uses these beliefs that she was taught at a young age to create beautiful animal sculptures.

Ganz reclaims forgotten plastic objects — such as spatulas, serving spoons, and pasta servers. And, by using them to create sculptures that appear in motion, she helps perpetuate the concept of these items having life.

“I only select objects that have been used and discarded. My goal is for each object to transcend its origin by being integrated into an animal/ organic forms that are alive and in motion. This process of reclamation and regeneration is liberating to me as an artist.”

[artist’s site, via Colossal]