The art of making something from nothing

A galaxy of multicolored discs dangles above guests sipping cocktails at Tokyo’s Trunk(Hotel) Cat Street, where the decor comes with an unexpectedly humble origin.

The sculptural forms — made from discarded photo studio backgrounds, pulped and blended with bookbinding glue — are part of Yuko Nishikawa’s “Chromonaut” installation, on view until Sept. 8.

“The use of materials is something I have always been interested in,” the artist says. “Upcycling or introducing the materials in a new form, that kind of transformation is really interesting because there is already a story within the materials.”