Kazuya Ono

Since ancient times in Japan, a place where a fumarole and a hot spring emerge simultaneously has been referred to as "Jigoku" (hell).
Beneath the earth's surface, where the magma, the source of hot springs, churns, lies a landscape resembling the Buddhist vision of hell.
Magma, which is the life energy of the Earth, manifests itself on the Earth's surface as a representation of hell, evoking thoughts of death, and transforms into hot springs that heal people.
People immerse themselves in these hot springs, born of hell, and whisper, "Gokuraku, gokuraku" (as if they are in paradise).
Hot springs blur the boundary between life and death.

I was born and raised in Beppu, a city known for its abundant "Jigoku."
The city's residents bathe in hot springs daily, traversing the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead.
The traces of hell that appear throughout the city persistently evolve, resembling living entities while reflecting the patterns of death.