"Red Hoodie" is the sixth artwork for my second series "A Night in Japan". The original was created using Copic markers and coloured pencil. This is a LARGE, unframed, limited edition print. It is titled and signed. The colours of the print are almost identical to the original. For this print I have used a high quality, textured paper. The paper colour is slightly off white and more in keeping with the paper used for the original.
This series continues from my first series, 'A Year in Japan', yet focuses on a single night in Tokyo. There is no longer a 'lone man', instead, a variety of people are shown, each going about their lives on this one night which binds them together. My influence for this series is also drawn from the film Blade Runner, a film loved for it's dystopian, 'Neo Tokyo' nighttime scenes. As with my first series, I am attempting to convey the Japanese phrase 物の哀れ 'mono no aware' - the gentle sadness of things. This refers to the ephemeral, transitory nature of the world, which in turn evokes a greater appreciation for things which are quick to disappear, such as cherry blossoms. The scenes I portray are fleeting moments in time, where the figures, objects and light will only be in that exact state for a moment, never to be repeated. Furthering this concept, this series depicts scenes from a single night in Tokyo, highlighting the ephemeral quality of time.
"Red Hoodie" depicts a young woman sitting in a cafe in Tokyo. She is the only person visible in the cafe. This piece conveys the illusion of solitude - she is alone, yet the reflection of the man walking past the cafe shows that there are other people nearby. It is a peaceful, everyday scene, with the woman relaxing, reading a book.