Logging

Ink on rice paper , bamboo, cotton yarn
14 x 14 in
2024

One of my favourite concentric circle patterns in nature is tree rings. Tree stumps, whether on the roadside, in the park, or on the mountain, always catch my attention. Following my artist residency in Wells, B.C., I gained a deeper understanding of the logging industry in Canada and created this work.

In what ways can we navigate art to contribute to a healthier environment? I have been asking myself many times because whatever we make extracts resources. Can I make something better than nothing? I am aware of the sustainability of materials, and that’s how I started craving foliage on the streets. The philosophy of East Asia aesthetics fascinates me, and the production of sumi ink and rice papers seems to have a smaller environmental footprint. Therefore, I explored these materials when I restarted making art after moving to a new country. More importantly, what is the beauty and meaning I genuinely appreciate?

The simplicity and subtleness of making art with nature. And it takes time.

(Displayed at the group exhibition We made it through the Wilderness at Studio 13 Fine Art, Granville Island, Vancouver, BC, in 2024)

Floating Ink

I begin with intuitive thinking and experiment with new techniques and materials to express Asian and Indigenous worldviews, connect with nature, and explore the formation of diasporic identity. I practice Suminagashi (paper marbling) to embody Zen philosophy and Chinese Taoism, reconnecting to the spiritual world shared with my faraway Japanese Buddhist family.

The concentric circles of ink and water express nature’s cyclical and rhythmical workings and see everything as a whole. The flows of ink and water are uncontrollable, embracing the beauty of imperfection and the impermanence of all things.

Join me to float with nature.

See more floating ink artwork