In Absence

InAbsence explores the significance of what is no longer present. The figure seems to hold onto a small flame in the darkness, suggesting the feeling of searching for something that is missing from their world. The surrounding emptiness creates a sense of an invisible boundary, leaving the meaning of the moment open. The work reflects on how absence can sometimes feel more powerful than presence, and how things left unspoken can still carry meaning.

The work reflects on the things we continue to feel even when they are no longer within reach. Absence can leave a space behind, but that space is not necessarily empty. Memories, feelings, and things left unsaid can remain there, sometimes becoming more powerful precisely because they cannot be seen. The flame represents that small but persistent presence within the darkness.

Water-soluble graphite and mechanical pencil on watercolor paper

Created over several months

Created in my home studio in Tokyo. I currently work in a small space within my living environment, where I develop and create my drawings.

The title InAbsence refers to the feeling of something being present through its absence. What is missing can sometimes occupy more space in our thoughts than what is physically in front of us. The title is intentionally open, leaving room for the viewer to decide what the absence might mean and what the flame might represent.