This painting depicts a scene in a lotus pond, a threshold between the real and the sacred. Lotus leaves, a seed pod, and a single dragonfly appear within the composition. At the same time, the scene also reflects the human world.
For many years, I have kept a dried lotus seed pod in my studio. Once its seeds are gone, its hollow form can appear almost grotesque. I had thought several times of throwing it away, yet somehow, I could never bring myself to do so.
Then one day, I learned about an extraordinary lotus seed discovered during an archaeological excavation in Chiba Prefecture, Japan, more than half a century ago. The seed had lain dormant underground for more than two thousand years, yet it was successfully germinated and eventually produced flowers.
When I learned of this astonishing vitality, I began to understand why I had been unable to discard the lotus seed pod in my studio. It no longer seemed to me merely an empty shell. Instead, I began to see it as something maternal—a symbol of quiet compassion and acceptance, preserving within itself the memory and possibility of life.

Dragonfly Series — Between the Real and the Sacred

In this series, I use the lotus and the dragonfly as motifs of reverence. The four works form a sequence of Acceptance, Awakening, and Hope. I envision the lotus pond as a threshold between everyday reality and the sacred, and depict dragonflies moving across this boundary.
A dragonfly begins its life underwater and, through emergence, moves into the air. For me, this transformation represents the crossing of boundaries. At the same time, the dragonfly serves as a metaphor for the human condition—for the self, surrounded by uncertainty and inner conflict, yet attempting to move beyond the boundaries that constrain it.
The lotus leaves, flowers, and seed pods in these works symbolize acceptance and compassion, receiving and embracing the dragonfly as it moves between these realms.