Sumiko Sakamoto (坂本澄子）
揺らぎ Reflection Acrylic on Canvas 32x 41cm
The moat-side area of Chidorigafuchi, near the Imperial Palace, is one of Tokyo’s best-known cherry blossom spots. When the trees are in full bloom, their reflections spread across the water, creating another world that feels slightly removed from reality.
A gentle breeze ripples the surface. With every movement of the water, the reflected blossoms subtly change their form.
As I watched this scene, I suddenly felt that perhaps the water was reflecting not only the cherry blossoms, but also my own inner world.
At times it is still; at other times, ripples appear.
Perhaps water is a mirror that reflects the subtle fluctuations of our inner selves.
水が育むもの Nurtured by Water Acrylic on Canvas32x 41cm
In early summer, melting snow flows into the forest, surrounding even the trees and grasses with water. For a brief moment, the familiar forest is transformed into an enchanting “water forest.”
Water nourishes the earth, nurtures plants, and sustains the lives of all living things.
Standing before this landscape, I felt that all forms of life are nurtured by water and exist within the great cycle of nature.
Not only the trees and birds, but we humans, too, are part of nature. I expressed this human presence through a single boat floating quietly in the forest.
花と星の降る夜 A Night when Flowers and Stars fall Acrylic on Canvas 53x73cm
This painting depicts a 1,000-year-old cherry tree, not simply as a symbol of beauty, but as part of a quiet cycle of life and decay. Fallen leaves, withered petals, undergrowth, and even animal droppings return to the earth, enriching the soil that sustains each new bloom.
Through layered textures, fading calligraphy, and gentle colors, I sought to express how every small life contributes to something greater. In a world that often forgets its bond with nature, this work reflects on impermanence, renewal, and our place within a larger rhythm.