The black-and-white photographs were taken at Shinobazu Pond in Ueno Park, Tokyo—a place where nature, spirituality, and art have coexisted for centuries. Part of the former Kan’ei-ji temple complex, the pond offers a space of tranquility amid the bustling city.
On the island at its center stands Benten-dō, a shrine dedicated to Benzaiten, the goddess of water, music, and the arts. Her presence symbolizes fluidity, creativity, and the harmonious flow of energy—values that became the conceptual foundation of this series.
The photographs depict fragments of aquatic plants—leaves, stems, reflections—captured in a state suspended between movement and stillness. The 2:1 aspect ratio, both vertical and horizontal, structures the space, emphasizing rhythm and compositional balance.
Mizukusa is an attempt to capture the silence inherent in nature—a focused, contemplative gaze that reveals not only form, but also the tranquility that emanates from it.
