My work explores the nostalgic memories coming from my Japanese background.

I was inspired by one of my favorite aspects of Japanese culture, the sparkler. During Japan’s hot and humid summer, the shiny, beautiful, yet fleeting light of a sparkler gives me calm from the intense weather. As an international student, this memory brings me back to the times in my hometown and with my old friends from Japan.

The colorful sparks from the sparkler represent my memories from past summers in Japan. Even though the sparklers in my work are more colorful than they are in reality, it is the fun memories with my friends in Japan that make the sparks glow. Moreover, I wanted to create a contrast between the sparks and the dark background to highlight its temporal beauty.