Arigato / Thank You is a meditation on the joy of communication and the bridges language can build. The work draws from a personal memory: a lunch shared with the artist’s seven-year-old son at a Japanese sushi bar. When he shyly said “Arigato gozaimasu” to the chefs, they disappeared momentarily—returning with armfuls of toys and small gifts. In that exchange, gratitude became a shared language that transcended words.

Arranged like offerings on delicate shelves, the miniature objects—sushi, cakes, trinkets, and toys—float against a soft quilted backdrop, evoking childhood wonder and cultural exchange.

Through this tender recollection, Arigato / Thank You celebrates the instant when meaning travels beyond translation—when a single word, sincerely spoken, can open the heart of another.