Kotao Tomozawa’s paintings are playfully unsettling. At first glance they look hyper-realistic, but on closer inspection rough and energetic brush strokes are revealed. Tomozowa takes inspiration from calming moments of her youth spent playing with slime. This serenity became a starting point for self-expression in arresting close-up paintings. Tomozawa’s signature motif is heads masked by slime or gel-like ribbons. Working in oil on canvas, she punctuates lifelike flesh tones with deep blue, vivid red and bubblegum pink.