Fumi Imamura

How would you describe your work?

My work is inspired by Japanese culture and traditions, though I use modern materials and techniques to express my emotions. My feelings are expressed in the shapes of flowers I create. 

My collages are made by cutting out paper flowers and botanical shapes, which I paint with watercolour. The end result resembles pressed flowers. For the background, I use glassine paper which is coated with a brown resin. The semi-transparent, glossy texture serves to enhance the delicate cut-out flowers and plants.

First thoughts when Ffern approached you about responding to a fragrance?

I was immediately inspired by the scent of peach in Ffern’s Summer 25 eau de parfum. My daughter, who was born two years ago, is named Momo, which means "peach" or "peach-coloured" in Japanese.

The fragrance made me think about flowers opening up one after another. It was such a joyful experience. Particularly the word momo, which brings to mind gentle and warm imagery. The bright and uplifting scent, along with the red cheeks and lips of my little daughter, inspired me to create a pink gradient of peach blossoms.

How did you approach painting ‘Momo’?

I always draw my flowers and plants from imagination. To bring my ideas into focus, I will create several sketches before I start making the work.

For ‘Momo’, I gathered cute peach-coloured items around me. I found an artificial peach blossom at home and played with it by placing it on my cat. Playfulness and imagining the seasons are very important to my creative process. I painted the flowers while picturing myself surrounded by beautiful spring blossoms.

What is it about Japanese folklore that inspires your practice? Is there a particular folktale that stands out?

The Tale of Princess Kaguya-hime and the Tale of Princess Chūjō-hime - which is said to have been the original tale - are my favourite folk tales. They were also the theme of my solo exhibition at the Lyndsey Ingram gallery in London in 2023.

There is something heartbreakingly beautiful and sad about these two stories of mythical princesses who are guided by spiritual beings and return to the other side. I believe in the existence of souls that move back and forth between this world and the other side.

This idea of a world on two sides, this side and the beyond, infuses my work. It is also how I feel about plants.

Can you describe your favourite scent?

To me, scent is strongly tied to memory. Spring in Kanazawa Prefecture, where I spent my student years, had a particularly sweet fragrance. Maybe it was the scent of flowers, or maybe it was something else. At night, Kanazawa was filled with this lovely scent, and my friends and I would walk through it almost tipsy with the smell, as if we were swimming in it. It’s such a special scent to me and evokes some of my happiest memories. There were a few sake breweries in the area, so the scents that came off the sake may have infused my memories too. 

What is your favourite seasonal ritual?

Japanese culture is all about seasonality, and we have many seasonal events. One of my favourites is the festival Obon, which we believe is when the spirits of our ancestors can return home. It’s a time to honour what’s invisible; cucumbers and aubergines are crafted into horses for the spirits to ride, and lanterns are placed to gently guide them on their way.

It is, of course, not scientific, but customs and festivals like these have led me to believe in the presence of souls. I believe that art is deeply related to the existence of souls and spirituality.

How does nature and working with the seasons inspire and inform your work?

Imagining the seasons is very important in my creative process. Many of my memories of nature and the time I’ve spent with family and friends have started to fade as the years pass. But when the seasons change, something as simple as the scent of the wind or the feel of the air helps me remember everything.

When I create, I can retrieve the precious things stored in my memory by imagining the seasons and their scents. These memories shape my feelings and are what my work is made from. 

Where else do you find your inspiration?

I find inspiration in the plant motifs that decorate religious sites like temples and churches, as well as in floral fabrics and handcrafted items. I love seeing plants that have been created by human hands. I feel there are unspoken words being expressed within their silence.

What is the best advice you could pass on?

Everything is moving in the right direction. Remember to smile.

From 13th June to 18th July, Fumi’s solo exhibition, The Garden of Musubi, will be on display at Lyndsey Ingram, 20 Bourdon St, London W1K 3PL.