OTSUKIMI
Commissioned wall panel for izakaya Michizaki (Braga).
The brief was to create a new illustrated wall panel, to begin a new cycle in the restaurant, as the narrative arch for Michizaki's second year will no longer follow the passage of seasons as main source of inspiration.
The team at Michizaki wanted a fresh new look for their wall graphics, with a more sophisticated, exciting, and contemporary tone, so I started playing around with ways to deconstruct my previous ukyio-e inspired approach to the illustration.
We knew that the panel needed to be more edgy and minimalistic, while still maintaining a subtle connection to Michizaki's focus on japanese tradition, which is why we kept Mount Fuji as a stylized central motif.
Its purpose is to hint at a symbolic landscape, where the moon is rising behind the large volcano - a subtle expression of the chosen theme: Otsukimi (a traditional autumn moon viewing festival in Japan, celebrating the Harvest Moon).
The illustrated panel was also converted into a surimono, a complimentary print to be offered to Michizaki's customers at the end of the season.
Thank you!
