“Metamorphosis” explores the thresholds of liminality, migration, and transformation through the lenses of anthropology, biology, and ritual. The project comprises hand- carved wooden sculptures that weave together storytelling and traditional Japanese craftsmanship.
At the heart of the project is a cat inspired by Schrödinger's paradox - a being that exists in an in-between state, neither alive nor dead, neither here nor there. Originally developed as a graphic novel in 2024, this narrative now takes sculptural form. Through the slow and meditative act of carving, each sculpture becomes a ritual of transformation, inviting viewers to reflect on uncertainty, migration, and continuous change.
The natural materials are not merely a medium but an essential part of the narrative. Hand-carved from aromatic Japanese camphor wood and finished with Urushi lacquer, persimmon tannin, or beeswax, each sculpture carries the stories embedded within these materials. Camphor wood retains its distinctive fragrance long after it is carved, preserving a sensory connection to the living tree, while Urushi lacquer is harvested from living trees through a process that demands patience, care, and time. Rather than concealing their natural qualities, I allow the materials to age, breathe, and continue transforming, so that the sculptures embody the slow cycles of growth, harvesting, and renewal found in nature.
