Cinema Stills (2020-2021)

My life, as that of many others, took a strange turn in 2020 when the Covid pandemic swept the world. I had just quit my job at the beginning of March to pursue my dream of making art, and was preparing to begin a stint as a Research Student at the Tokyo University of the Arts in April 2020 when suddenly everything was put on hold.

Stuck at home, I spent many hours delving into the world of classic cinema. The thoughtful composition and quiet arranged scenes of black and white movies inspired me, and I began to study and take note of what moved me within them. At the same time, I was working on honing my drawing and painting skills in preparation for my eventual departure to Tokyo. I combined these interests and made numerous cinema-still inspired works in graphite and charcoal on paper.