A few branches, some cherry blossoms and plenty of space around them.

Found in Antwerp, this Japanese folding screen is by Ichiro Kikuta, a Japanese artist born in Fukushima and later based in Yanbaru, the biodiverse forest region in northern Okinawa. His work is rooted in close observation of nature, using sumi ink and traditional folding screen techniques on handmade washi paper. Birds, plants, landscapes and the cycle of life often return in his work.

Here, the blossoms feel almost suspended. Soft pink flowers sit among dark ink leaves and pale washes of grey, with some of the foliage appearing to drift between shadow and transparency.

Nothing feels crowded. The folding screen itself adds a quiet rhythm to the image: the panels, seams and texture of the paper, along with the small red seal and calm asymmetry of the composition.

That restraint is what caught our eye. The flowers are delicate without becoming overly sweet, and the empty space around them is just as important as the branches themselves. There is confidence in knowing when to stop.

When translated into textiles, we kept that same sense of space. The soft blossoms and ink-like leaves spread lightly across the fabric, while the folds create subtle shifts between flowers, shadows and washes of grey.

A few cherry blossoms, a lot of breathing room, and absolutely no need to shout.