“Ryusendō (龍泉洞) - Dragon Cave if Iwate prefecture”

2025 

Denim, Paper, Graphite

Dimensions: 40cm x28cm

This piece reimagines the folkloric origins of an over 200 million year old cave found in the Iwate Prefecture, the North East of Japan. According to the local legend, a dragon had erupted from the foot of the mountain, leaving behind deep pools of marine blue crystal clear water. The cave’s name, "Ryūsendō," reflects this mythic heritage—"Ryū" meaning dragon and "Sendō" signifying a cave with natural springs. Patterns and forms depicted in the piece emerged from my own records and observations of the cave walls when I visited the site a year ago.