
Meditations in Water: Youko IMAI’s Lotus Paintings

In HASU, a pink lotus bloom peeks gently from behind a cluster of overlapping leaves. Soft, layered greens frame the flower in a moment of serene emergence. The composition captures a quiet intimacy within nature—where presence is felt even in partial view.

Soft layers of yellow, green, and lavender drift across the canvas like light through mist. In Lost Place, landscape dissolves into memory—suggesting a forgotten garden, a vanished dream, or the echo of a moment. A contemplative space between nature and abstraction.

LOTUS depicts a lush aquatic scene where full-bloom and budding lotus flowers rise among layered leaves. Rich textures and gentle hues convey both vitality and stillness, celebrating the harmony of nature and the quiet strength within seasonal growth.

In Flying Consultation, three lotus leaves appear to converse mid-motion—curving, tilting, and rising as if caught in a gentle dialogue with the wind. With its graceful forms and layered washes, the piece captures a fleeting harmony between movement, nature, and silent understanding.

In Reflected Withered Lotus, the artist captures a serene moment of nature’s quiet rhythm. Slender stems, floating leaves, and soft reflections come together in a graceful harmony, inviting viewers to pause, observe, and reconnect with the subtle elegance of seasonal change.

In Scattered Remains, a lotus bloom lingers in its final form—petals fallen, seed pod upright. Set against a soft aquatic field, the composition captures the quiet strength of what endures. It is a moment not of ending, but of calm continuation.

In Floating Leaves Rising, a single luminous leaf hovers above the water, anchored yet weightless. Surrounded by subtle hues and gentle forms, the composition reflects nature’s quiet strength and grace. A moment of stillness uplifted by light and air.

In The Weight of Water, lotus blooms and leaves drift gently across a luminous surface. Their reflections ripple below, revealing the quiet presence of water as both support and space. The painting invites calm observation, where stillness feels as deep as gravity.

