Shibuya Crossing

This commission began with a cellphone video of the client’s daughter dancing through Tokyo’s iconic Shibuya Crossing. From the footage, I selected still frames that captured a sense of movement and revealed different facets of the subject’s presence and spirit.

I created initial mockups in gouache to explore color and composition, drawing inspiration from the neon glow of Tokyo at night. These studies became a springboard for a palette designed not just to reflect the video’s environment, but to evoke the energy, mood, and atmosphere of that fleeting moment.

Once the studies were approved, each piece was translated into oil on panel. At 36 x 36 inches, the three panels work together to hold both the spontaneity of the original moment and the more deliberate choices of painting. While the colors are loosely inspired by the video, they became a means of invention—an intuitive way to convey the spirit of the sitter and the freedom, play, and joy within the moment.