This work was completed for Woroni’s second edition of 2019, Ascension, as part of their Calendar Art series. The art was featured on page 4 of the colour print magazine on the back of the tear-out calendar page.
‘Ascension’ has many connotations, including religious and technological meanings. Here, the purpose of the art is to capture the upwards movement associated with ascension. The colour scheme was selected as a progression from dark to light.
The focus of the piece also shifts upwards, from the Sakura tree in the foreground to lakes and foothills, mountains, sky and dragon.
The dragon takes the place of the sun rising over the horizon. The dragon connects with ascension in multiple ways - mythologically, as dragons are symbols of good luck and are associated with flying, and this particular type of dragon is associated with Asian cultures, symbolising the ascendency of Asian nations in the modern era and the waning influence of the West.