Like precious gems, Aiko Miyanaga's crystalline sculptures reflect light and shine with a brilliance that beguiles the viewer. But while diamonds are forever, Miyanaga's carefully crafted forms are not long for this world. In fact, some of her pieces are gone before her exhibitions even come to a close.
Cast in naphthalene (the stuff moth balls are made of), Miyanaga's ephemeral pieces begin to disintegrate the moment she puts them on display. Naphthalene is not designed to be a stable material; it's designed to slowly sublime (turn from solid to gas) at room temperature and create vapors that keep textile-eating moths at bay.
Most people would never even think to use such a volatile substance as a building material for original works of art, but Miyanaga is clearly not "most people."