Shy Sakuras

Mono no aware is a Japanese expression that translates to the “pathos of things” — an ephemerality that engenders melancholy and rejoicing to the fleeting transience of beauty. The physical epitome of this expression is best represented by the first blooms of the Sakura. As soft pink buds of the Sakura emerge, our excitement starts to surge. The first blossoms stir our expectancies; our necks craned for these teasing pink petals. While some trees bask in the attention, others are coy and remain hidden. Some trees are private, only blooming for their masters. They offer glimpses of their flushed crowns. My project pays tribute to the Shy Sakuras - lonely in private compounds, hidden in plain sight; alone in their early splendour as they try their best to avoid our gaze but nonetheless, their radiant short-lived brilliance never ceasing to enchant.