Wood carvings, traditionally seen as permanent art forms, have increasingly incorporated elements of time-based and ephemeral art, creating dynamic expressions that evolve with time. Artists intentionally select woods prone to natural decay, such as cedar or pine, allowing their pieces to weather, crack, or even disintegrate gradually. This intentional imperfection mirrors the fleeting nature of life and challenges conventional notions of permanence in sculpture.

Some carvers integrate organic materials like leaves or moss that change seasonally, while others expose their works to environmental factors like rain or sunlight to accelerate transformation. Contemporary practitioners even document these changes through time-lapse photography, turning the carving process itself into a performative act.

The Japanese concept of "wabi-sabi"—finding beauty in transience—heavily influences this approach. Carvers may leave tool marks visible or incorporate unfinished sections, celebrating the artwork's journey rather than just its final state. This fusion of wood's solidity with temporal fragility creates profound dialogues about memory, legacy, and our relationship with nature's cycles.

By embracing decay as part of their creative vocabulary, modern wood artists bridge ancient craft with contemporary conceptual art, proving that even the most traditional mediums can participate in conversations about temporality and change.