Aya Takano's drawings and paintings share personal and quietly political visions of freedom. Her signature wide-eyed figures are delicately rendered in soft lines and muted hues with watercolor, graphite and oil. She sees her work in lineage from 70s Shōjo manga (girl comics), founded on an ethos of feminine strength and power. Classical literature, folklore, science-fiction and Western Impressionism are also important influences for the artist. Throughout the works, recognisable motifs like architecture and urban space blend with dreamlike perspectives in order to challenge notions of ‘normality.’ “It looks abnormal in Western culture, but it may be normal in the unconscious world.” Thus, the artist poses a pertinent question: if the constructed limits of normality can shift in dreams, why are they often so rigid in society?