Shoji Yamasaki is a performance artist who has captured the public’s attention with his performance series “Littered Mvmnts“, in which emulates the movements of urban wastesuch as plastic bags or other abandoned objects, carried by the wind.
Born during the pandemic, the project evolved when Yamasaki began walking around his neighborhood in Los Angeles County, observing and recording the rubbish he found along the road. Fascinated by the almost choreographic movements of waste moved by the breeze, he decided to explore these dynamics through dance and performance.
Yamasaki has created a series of videos that alternate the image of objects transported by the wind and that of himself reproducing their movements with surprising precision. His videos, posted primarily on TikTok, quickly attracted attention, accumulating millions of views.
@litteredmvmnts PSA: Please pick up your trash. #東京 #ポイ捨て #tokyo #japan #tokyojapan #duet #trashduet #litteredmvmnts #litter #trash #pollution #pickupyourtrash #saveourplanet #dontlitter #litterbug #performanceart #interpretivedance ♬ original sound – LITTERED MVMNTS
Thanks to his creativity, the artist has managed to capture the imagination of a global audience, demonstrating how even objects commonly considered “trash” can become protagonists of a work of art.
The costumes are selected from the wardrobe to avoid further waste
The idea behind “Littered Mvmnts” is simple but powerful: Yamasaki watch the garbage dance in the wind and then, through careful physical and mental preparation, he tries to reproduce those movements in his body.
His performances, accompanied by costumes selected from his wardrobe for avoid additional wasteare a mix of dance and ecological reflection. The creative process is meticulous, from choosing the subject to recording and editing, and requires many hours of work for each video.
Yamasaki’s success brought both satisfaction and challenges. Many of his videos have been republished without his consentwith some copies reaching millions of views without crediting him. This caused great frustration for the artist who had to face the difficult reality of seeing his art disseminated without recognition.
However, despite these difficulties, Yamasaki remains enthusiastic about his project, seeing it as a way to reconnect with nature and celebrate the choreographic harmony of the worldboth at a micro and macroscopic level. Through his art, Yamasaki invites viewers to see beauty in everyday details and to reflect on how even often overlooked trash can be part of a universal choreography.
@litteredmvmnts PSA: Please pick up your trash. #losangeles #LA #duet #trashduet #litteredmvmnts #litter #trash #plasticpollution #pickupyourtrash #saveourplanet #dontlitter #litterbug #performanceart #environmentalism #SDGs #SDG #cleanCA ♬ original sound – LITTERED MVMNTS
