A Blend of Culture and Creativity Power Discarded Spirits Co.'s Debut Art Collab

“Everything has to work in synergy,” shares Aaron Kudi in a profound reflection on his latest design project with woodworker Rio Kobayashi, commissioned by Discarded Spirits Co. Whilst their practices are starkly different, sculptor turned painter Kudi is determined to use his latest opportunity to find the common thread between their works, and what’s more, learn something new.

For any creative, embarking on a new collaboration can be an exciting pursuit. Exchanging ideas leads to fresh, innovative concepts that change the way we consume design. This, in essence, is the premise of Discarded Spirits Co.’s latest artist-led project, produced by Hypebeast. Honing in on its unique production process – which repurposes waste materials from the food and drink industries to craft complex spirits – the brand invites the artists to unite and create a new design object that reimagines disused waste.

“There’s a beauty in using something that has already been used for something else,” explains Kobayashi as he begins his in-depth research for the project. Although the collaboration with Discarded Spirits Co. marks the first time that either of the creatives have stepped into the drinks scene, they are similarly fascinated by its approach to repurposing waste. “We spent time understanding the reusing of the discarded grape skins from winemaking processes, the banana peels for the rum, and even the barrels used to flavor the product,” shares Kudi. “I think the ability to reuse materials is very liberating.”

Translating the brand into their disciplines, the pair take a closer look at the Banana Peel Rum and discover how the spirit can live in their own realms. Similar to the rest of his work, Kobayashi’s exploration leads him to revisit his Japanese heritage saying, “There’s this ritual in Japan, if you meet someone new who you want to have a long relationship with, then you have a drink together over a shared table.”

With this, the pair land on a design for a rounded table paired with two matching glasses that continue to play on the aspect of duality. “What Rio brought in from the Japanese culture was quite important,” adds Kudi. “We’re taking it away from just using found materials, but giving it cultural context.” Introducing stories to evoke a deeper meaning is something that the painter focuses on in his practice, often turning to spirituality or psychology. Kobayashi says, “We have such a mixed cultural background. We had to find in between what we could create together.”

As they begin making, dividing different elements of the process between one another, Kudi shares, “I shifted to painting for a long while and I have to say, doing this project has reinvigorated my spirit and energy to go back into sculpting.” Incidentally, finding the common thread between their practices and Discarded Spirits Co. was easier than they had anticipated. “We’re very fluid in how we exchange ideas. I think it was us just finding the balance,” Kobayashi responds.

Stay tuned to Hypebeast to discover how Kobayashi and Kudi’s table comes to life.

For more information on Discarded Spirits Co., head to the website now.

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