Tokyo Exhibit Features Lifelike Cardboard Sculptures of Animals

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:56 JST, March 8, 2023

An exhibition of works by sculptor Genta Honnoh, who uses cardboard to create striking statues of animals, is being held at Ecoru Togoshi, a facility in Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo, that promotes environmental studies.

Honnoh glues together sheets of cardboard, carves out shapes and colors them with acrylic paint. Many of his works depict animals.

A key feature of Honnoh’s work is that he employs used cardboard, and the exhibition is being held to teach children about environmental protection.

Twenty-five sculptures of various sizes are on display, depicting animals such as a cheetah, Hokkaido squirrel and chimpanzee. Each one is accompanied by a placard with a description of the animal’s habitat and daily routines.

Children at the exhibition were excited to see the 2-meter-long depiction of a powerful snow leopard.

“My children reacted as if they saw the real thing,” said Mai Koga, 35, a Kawasaki resident who visited the exhibition with her two children. “It’s unbelievable that these are made of cardboard.”

The exhibition runs through March 26.