Natsukashii

Artist Statement
Natsukashii is a uniquely Japanese word that captures the gentle ache of nostalgia — not as regret, but as a tender joy. It describes that soft warmth we feel when remembering moments from the past that shaped us, filled with both longing and gratitude.

For this piece, I found inspiration in the traditional Japanese art of ikebana — the mindful and poetic act of giving form to nature. In this suspended moment, a fragile figure climbs through a floral composition not to escape, but to reconnect — with beauty, with ritual, with the quiet force of growth that shapes us from within.

Through this homage, I wanted to celebrate the elegance and wisdom of Japanese culture — both ancestral and contemporary — and to express my gratitude for the inspiration it continues to offer me.