Kumiko Eye #5, 2026
Washi tape, charcoal on wood panel
8"x9.5"
Washi tape, charcoal on wood panel
8"x9.5"
A single eye looks quietly downward through the center of the kumiko, a traditional Japanese woodworking pattern. Japanese culture is shaped by collectivist values, where group harmony and social awareness are prioritized over individual expression. Concepts like tatemae, the face we show in public, and sekentei, the concern for how one appears to society, are woven into daily life from an early age. We adjust ourselves to what others expect, quietly and often without realizing it.