“Flowers of Dreams” (2018–2021)
Flowers of Dreams (2018–2021) is a body of work created without initial intent or concrete plans. When I face a sheet of metal and begin to hammer, I do not establish a theme, concept, or final form in advance.
In Japanese contemporary craft, the attitude of listening to the voice of the material itself has been deeply valued. The field has been significantly shaped by Craftical Formation—which pursued self-expression through the relationship between materials and techniques in the 1990s—as well as the re-examination of the boundary between contemporary art and craft, alongside an emphasis on high technical skill, since the 2010s. However, my creative process maintains a certain distance from these contextually unique traditions of Japanese craft. My reflection always begins with fundamental questions: 'Why am I creating this form through metal hammering?' and 'Why do I continue to practice metal hammering?' It is through the physical act of striking the metal, and when confronting the completed form, that I first encounter traumatic memories lying dormant within myself.
This body of work became a catalyst that forced me to confront the existence of the 'unconscious'—a dimension that transcends conscious intent.
