Katsushika Hokusai knew how to leave a legacy that remained intact over time. A triad composed of humanity, nature and time, where stability coexists with dynamism. Fundamental pillars of existence, explored through Humilis, Amirari and Sensus. Works that not only evoke the technical mastery of the Japanese artist, but reinterpret his ability to capture the essence of the ephemeral and the eternal in dialogue with our era, to continue his legacy.

The starting point of Humilis is Hokusai's obsession with the human figure, as seen in his series of anatomical studies. In this work, humanity is revealed in its vulnerability and movement, reflecting on humility, a reminder of our fragility in the face of time. Dynamism and introspection dialogue with the lines that Hokusai drew, taking exploration beyond the physical to the symbolic. With Amirari, amazement takes center stage. Inspired by Hokusai's series of birds and flowers, this work celebrates nature as a constant and sublime element. As in the master's woodcuts, each detail seeks to convey the interconnection of the living, underlining the stability of nature in the face of our impermanence.

Sensus immerses itself in the concept of time, inspired by Hokusai's ability to capture the ephemeral by combining all the elements that make up its formula: time, emotions, movement, stillness and present. This piece uses human emotions represented in a technological and dynamic flow, creating a bridge between the traditional past and a future driven by data and sensitivity. Thus, as Hokusai did, these works invite us to stop, observe and reflect on our position in the fabric of legacy: humanity as purpose, nature as constant and time as eternal witness.

Sone’s work delves into the intricate relationship between humans and nature, drawing inspiration from Hokusai’s profound reverence for the natural world. By integrating images of nature and mycelium elements, her choreography embodies the rhythms and patterns inherent in natural environments.

This connection facilitates a reflection on environmental themes, drawing parallels between the struggles depicted in Hokusai’s work and contemporary ecological challenges. The layers of meaning and cultural references present in Hokusai’s art are mirrored in Sone’s exploration of digital networks. By embedding these themes within choreography and AI-generated visuals, a dialogue is created that highlights the complexity of social issues, much like Hokusai achieved through his art. Through the fusion of dance and AI elements, the artist crafts narratives that raise awareness about the ethical implications of AI, environmentalism and warfare – echoing Hokusai’s method of conveying powerful messages through his prints.

This amalgamation fosters a rich dialogue between past and present, prompting contemplation on how cultural legacies endure and evolve in the digital age. As the project progresses, Sone aspires to maintain an open dialogue concerning the ethical implications of AI in art, the urgency of environmental issues, and the impact of digital networks on societal challenges. This ongoing discourse aims to enrich the work and invite audiences to engage critically with these multifaceted complexities.

Demons and Monsters is a digital mixed-media art project that reimagines the stories behind Katsushika Hokusai’s One Hundred Ghost Stories through the lens of artificial intelligence. Inspired by the ancient Japanese game Hyaku Monogatari, where people tell ghostly tales by candlelight, the project invites audiences to "play" alongside Hokusai, delving into the legends that shaped his iconic works.​

The project reinterprets three stories — “The Mansion of the Plates” (Sara-yashiki), “Oiwa” (Oiwa-san), and “Kohada Koheiji” — by transferring their characters and narratives to modern-day Tokyo, with locations tied to Hokusai’s life. Each episode blends cinematic noir with surrealism, preserving the eerie mood of the original tales while exploring contemporary themes.​

In “The Mansion of the Plates,” the story unfolds in a wealthy modern Tokyo home, drawing inspiration from real-life crime events and featuring an AI-generated version of Hokusai’s burial site. “Oiwa” reimagines its central character as a webcam model, reflecting the atmosphere of today’s Japanese restaurants. Meanwhile, “Kohada Koheiji” explores the duality of masks in modern Japanese theater and life.​

This project uses video as its primary medium, crafting standalone works of video art that immerse viewers in a haunting yet contemporary retelling of Hokusai’s spectral dramas.

This work explores the intersection of traditional Japanese printmaking and contemporary sound art through the use of artificial intelligence. At its core lies a creative investigation into selected drawings from the legendary Hokusai Manga and other woodblock print collections by Katsushika Hokusai. The artist has carefully curated a range of motifs—fantasy animals, expressive human figures, domestic scenes, and elements drawn from nature, such as wind patterns and underwater creatures—highlighting the richness and variety of Hokusai’s visual language.

These images have been processed and interpreted with AI technologies, which serve as analytical tools and generative collaborators. The resulting data was then transformed into sound, partially shaped by machine learning algorithms, and partially composed and refined within a studio environment. The outcome is a layered soundscape that shifts between the algorithmic and the human, offering a new way of experiencing visual heritage.

Crucially, the installation is interactive: sounds are activated by the viewers' way, the project transcends the static nature of traditional prints, inviting the public into a multisensory experience that celebrates Hokusai’s enduring influence while demonstrating how contemporary technologies can open new dimensions in interpreting historical art.

This project explores the mythological imagery of Japanese art through the lens of Hokusai’s series «100 Ghost Stories». Drawing on legends that reflect ancient perceptions of fear, hope and the unknown, the work uncovers deep cultural codes embedded in Japanese tradition. Merging traditional techniques with digital technologies, including the use of artificial intelligence, the artist reinterprets Hokusai’s style while preserving its authenticity.

This synthesis places classical motifs into a contemporary visual language, creating renewed emotional resonance. The project aims to immerse viewers in the mystical world of Japanese folklore, highlighting its enduring relevance. By connecting past and present, the artist offers a poetic encounter between craft and code — reviving mythology in a modern context and inviting new ways of engaging with these timeless stories.

This project explores the mythological imagery of Japanese art through the lens of Hokusai’s series «100 Ghost Stories». Drawing on legends that reflect ancient perceptions of fear, hope and the unknown, the work uncovers deep cultural codes embedded in Japanese tradition. Merging traditional techniques with digital technologies, including the use of artificial intelligence, the artist reinterprets Hokusai’s style while preserving its authenticity.

This synthesis places classical motifs into a contemporary visual language, creating renewed emotional resonance. The project aims to immerse viewers in the mystical world of Japanese folklore, highlighting its enduring relevance. By connecting past and present, the artist offers a poetic encounter between craft and code — reviving mythology in a modern context and inviting new ways of engaging with these timeless stories.

Two centuries ago, Hokusai’s lines and ink washes distilled human forms and mythic scenes into potent archetypal shapes, rich with personal and cultural echoes. Each mark reflected his mortal vision, shaped by lived experience and generational stories, offering an invitation into his mythic realm. In contrast, modern AI-based computer vision isolates objects as detached labels, removing narrative context and emotional resonance. Such algorithmic outputs lack spiritual or personal perspective, presenting a kaleidoscope of pattern-driven images that can entertain but can ultimately ring hollow.

This artwork explores that tension by juxtaposing Hokusai’s intentional simplicity with AI’s abstracting gaze. Where Hokusai’s context-laden minimalism captures deeper meaning, AI’s decontextualization highlights the precarious nature of our relationship with technology. We wonder: if the machine sees us as one object class among many, can we humans truly demand reverence?

The piece underscores the significance we assign to stories, myths, and mortal finitude. Removing real-world elements from their context provokes reflection on how easily we consume images without pausing to interpret their deeper narrative, creating feedback loops. Through Hokusai’s enduring spirit and the machine’s unblinking lens, this work invites viewers to revisit how meaning arises and vanishes when mortality and myth collide with pattern and form. It calls us to reclaim our responsibility as storytellers, remembering that machines reflect our willingness to imbue images with depth.