Like many of their Japanese artist colleagues, Mumbreeze (Kinya and Kao Hanada) (Portland, Oregon, USA & Japan) achieve a kind of hip traditionalism in their art, full of wild uninhibited inventiveness.

Made with recycled material and paper mache. In the words of the artists, "these animal figures are envisioned as spirits of animals rather than actual animals made with refuse of human civilization".

They are noted to resemble Japanese religious icons like the pre-Buddhist Haniwa funeral figures from ancient Japan. Haniwa imagery has found its way into pop culture, notably Manga. While citing the traditions of chimera and Haniwa, these sculptures also allude to modern themes like comics, pop culture and genetic engineering.

35cm Length, 9cm wide, 26cm tall. 125 USD. Figures start at 25 USD at the artist's Etsy shop. (via Mumbreeze)