Along the Mōsō bamboo grove of Kairakuen, anonymous and diverse figures continue walking. People watch as they choose something and abandon something else, following along behind them. There is a Zen phrase, “hoho kore dōjō” — “every step is a training ground.” The characters in the work continue walking without end as they face various events. People, too, will confront them together by following the characters in the work as they walk. Or, they will confront each of the characters one after another as they come walking by. The work is continuously drawn in real time by a computer program. It is not playing back pre-recorded video. As a whole, it keeps changing forever without ever reproducing a previous state. The image of this very moment can never be seen again. “teamLab Kairakuen Garden of Light” (Mito, Ibaraki) Exhibition details: https://www.teamlab.art/jp/e/kairakuengarden/ Work details: https://www.teamlab.art/jp/w/walk_bambooforest/kairakuengarden/

I directed a campaign movie for a new line from the apparel brand LEPSIM, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary.

The opening sequence, which serves as the audience’s first impression of the story, was designed to feel welcoming and upbeat in line with the director’s wishes, while also incorporating the suspense, hip tone, and sense of unease found in the main film. We explored the balance between technical playfulness and the music, adding a hand-drawn feel by incorporating analog watercolor into digitally created imagery, and paid close attention to keeping the layout from feeling too rigid.

Every night, a woman is overwhelmed by a sense of emptiness. She wants someone to notice her existence, so she keeps speaking out on social media. For her, social media is a place where she can connect with someone whenever she feels lonely. Even though she collects stuffed animals and plants to soothe her own loneliness, her desire to be needed by someone could not be overcome.