Shhan in the City
A six-image series combining SHHAN’s city photographs with photographs of NIKI and drawings
Summary
This project grew out of monster films such as Godzilla and Ultraman, and Japanese giant-robot animation, which I have loved since childhood. I wondered what it would be like if those enormous beings appeared right before my eyes, and expressed that curiosity through giant cats.
The first work, Victoria Harbour, began with a photograph I took on a trip to Hong Kong in 2013. I combined it with a photograph I took of my cat Niki, then refined the image through digital drawing. I continued working with photographs I had taken at other places I visited.
Rain in Osaka brings the world of The SHHAN into a rainy view of Osaka, featuring Witch and a giant black cat, Shhan. In Hainan, a cat lies in the middle of a golf-course building. Across six scenes, I brought cities and giant cats together.
In Hong Kong, a giant Shhan confronts Eva Unit-01 from Neon Genesis Evangelion, a series I particularly like. I wanted to bring a scene I had often imagined into the landscape of a real city.