I am very honored to be a part of the Adobe Creative Residency Community Fund 2020.
I was commissioned to create an illustration of “Setsubun 節分”.
Setsubun is a Japanese traditional festival that celebrates the end of winter and the beginning of spring. It is held on the last day of winter, which according to the Japanese lunar calendar, is February 3rd (rarely 2nd or 4th).
This year Setsubun is held on February 2nd for the first time since 1897.
People perform rituals with the purpose of driving away bad fortunes and evil spirits such as mamemaki (throwing roasted soybeans), ehomaki (eating special sushi rolls that made with seven ingredients), hiiragiiwashi (putting up of small decorations of sardine heads and holly leaves), shogazake (drinking special sake brewed with ginger).
"Oni 鬼 (Japanese demons)" are traditionally evil creatures and symbols of bad fortunes but I wanted to draw them as friends of us instead.
You can see the smiling woman in kimono is “Otafuku お多福” in the picture. She brings happiness and good fortunes. She dispels evil spirits with laughter and giggles, and she reforms demons for the better.
I believe that we all should be tolerant and forgiving especially in this hard time.
sketch
