Artist Statement
Artist Statement
My art is the crystallization of a deep desire: to help people notice the “assumptions” and “limitations” they have unconsciously accepted, reconnect with their true selves, and move forward in life with excitement and without hesitation. I am interested in the stories we weave, the assumptions we build, and the limits we impose upon ourselves.
“The Blinking Skull” is a work designed to trigger awareness of these hidden assumptions and serve as a symbol of breaking through personal boundaries.
Context: “Exploring Multiple Perspectives through Animation”
Since 2022, I have been researching and creating pareidolia (*1) animations using a minimal number of images, with the theme of exploring multiple perspectives through animation.
According to research in film studies and psychology, visual information presented through video can be edited to emphasize specific impressions or viewpoints. By manipulating the timing of projection and the combination of images, it is possible to generate impressions that were not originally present. Therefore, I believe that instead of passively accepting visual information—whether as data or as artworks—we must develop the ability to critically evaluate and interpret it ourselves. Experiencing multiple perspectives and cultivating imagination are essential for this process.
In the history of painting, expressions that offer multiple perspectives have long been explored, such as the “yose-e” technique of Giuseppe Arcimboldo (1526–1593), who combined a collection of animals and plants into portraits, and the visual multiplicity found in modern art’s Cubism. These approaches all share the method of embedding multiple layers of perspective within a single image.
My approach inherits the contexts of yose-e, Cubism, Surrealism, Abstract Expressionism, Pop Art, and animation, while proposing a new method: creating multiple perspectives within movement. Although each frame of my animation contains only a single-perspective image, the continuous motion induces a pareidolia effect that generates diverse viewpoints. Through this experience, viewers can physically realize how visual information can be intentionally shaped and learn new ways to engage with moving images.
One of the works born from this exploration is “The Blinking Skull.”
(*1) Pareidolia (/ˌpærɪˈdoʊliə, ˌpɛər-/;[1] also US: /ˌpɛəraɪ-/)[2] is the tendency for perception to impose a meaningful interpretation on a nebulous stimulus, usually visual, so that one sees an object, pattern, or meaning where there is none.
"Copyrighted works."Free Encyclopedia Wikipedia, English version. 3 January 2024, at 09:02 (UTC).
Commentary
About “The Blinking Skull”
“The Blinking Skull” is a pareidolia animation that generates two or more perspectives through movement. The first perspective is “blinking”; the second is “suspension,” represented by a shock absorber moving within the center of the skull. These perspectives are invisible in static frames and can only be perceived through animation. Moreover, viewers can easily switch between these perspectives without visual collapse. As one repeats switching perspectives, the two perspectives merge into a new, unified perception—this is the distinctive feature of this work.
“The Blinking Skull” also expresses the relationship between the present moment (“now”) and the stories created by its continuous flow.
Each frame, composed of only seven still images, represents a fleeting “now,” but when strung together, they produce recognizable movements like blinking or piston-like motion. This mirrors how everyday life is built from the accumulation of single moments, much like a melody is formed from individual notes.
At the same time, the work highlights how individual experiences, knowledge, and assumptions shape our perception of the world. Through a survey I conducted on TikTok, it became clear that different viewers perceived entirely different things when watching the same animation—a phenomenon reminiscent of the parable of the blind men and the elephant.
Through “The Blinking Skull,” I invite viewers to reflect:
Are you simply seeing a story that you yourself have created?
Are your beliefs nothing more than assumptions?
I hope this work offers an opportunity to recognize and release the unconscious assumptions and limitations we carry—and that it helps you reconnect with your true, original self, enabling you to move forward into a life filled with excitement and joy.
“The Blinking Skull” is both a symbol and an artwork dedicated to that journey.
