Woodblock Artist Floating in Auckland Hall

Ink-stained fingers hover near a floating block of wood, suspended inches above a work surface in a ceremonial hall. The artist sits with a calm gaze, their silhouette framed against tall windows where late afternoon light falls through low-hanging clouds. Early autumn light softens the grain of the timber walls and the rough texture of the paper spread across the table. Black ink marks the tips of the artist's nails and smudges the edge of the wooden block, which tilts at an impossible angle as if released from a hand that is not there. Dust motes drift in the broad skylight, settling gently on the floating tools while the rest of the room remains grounded. A shadow of the drifting block stretches sharply across the paper below, anchoring the impossible weight to the floor.