colorful oil paintings capture quiet scenes of everyday japan

Naru Hiko Reframes Familiar Scenes from Japan’s Parks

Through simplified colors and forms, Naru Hiko’s oil paintings reframe familiar landscapes across Japan, focusing on the ordinary elements found in parks and residential neighborhoods. The paintings draw from walks through everyday public and residential spaces in Japan. Benches, traffic cones, fences, and playground structures become recurring subjects, bringing attention to objects and architectural elements that often go unnoticed within the urban landscape.

Blue Forms | all images ©Naru Hiko

The artworks depict Benches, Fences, and Playgrounds

Rather than reproducing these scenes literally, artist Naru Hiko simplifies and reconstructs their colors and forms. Familiar objects are reduced to essential shapes and tones, creating compositions that shift the way everyday surroundings are perceived. The resulting paintings remain rooted in recognizable Japanese landscapes while introducing a degree of abstraction through their treatment of color, geometry, and form. By focusing on overlooked details of public space, the work presents ordinary environments from a slightly altered perspective, making familiar scenes appear new again.

Quiet Noon

Another Saturday

Side by Side

Left Behind

Waiting There

Pause

Solitude

A Place to Rest

Close Together

Vacant Thoughts

A Favorite at Rest

project info:

name: everyday japan

artist: Naru Hiko | @naru_hiko_

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. See more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: Christina Vergopoulou | designboom

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