Akimitsu Tamawake | 2024 | Etching, Aquatint, Chine-collé | 28 × 20 cm
Akimitsu Tamawake’s Thinking With a Flower is a poetic exploration of the symbiosis between human thought and nature. Rendered in meticulous copper etching and aquatint, the piece presents a contemplative figure adorned with organic motifs, their garments and body seamlessly merging with botanical elements. The soft, textured background—enhanced by the chine-collé technique—imbues the composition with an ethereal, timeworn quality, as if the image exists in a space between dream and memory.
The character’s posture, eyes gazing upward, suggests a quiet moment of introspection or longing, while the delicate floral growth emerging from their back speaks to the theme of nature’s silent presence within us. A single pumpkin, resting nearby, grounds the scene, hinting at cycles of growth, harvest, and renewal.
Tamawake’s signature blend of traditional printmaking techniques and surreal storytelling transforms this piece into an intimate meditation on the interconnectedness of life and thought—a silent dialogue between human consciousness and the quiet wisdom of nature.
