The origin of demons can be traced back to the Heian period (794-1192), approximately 1,200 years ago. In an age when science had not yet developed, demons were embodied by people who resisted "unseen horrors" such as epidemics and disasters, and have been handed down through various legends and literature to the present day. In today's increasingly complex society, social networking accounts for a large proportion of relationship building, and this has given rise to the "fear of becoming too visible" through iconic human relationships, the proliferation of information, and the anonymity of expression. Nevertheless, I do not think this fear can be eliminated. Over time, demons have changed from something to be exterminated to something to be confronted. Recently, I have been facing demons not as something to be feared, but as a universal presence that fits into my daily life. In doing so, I encounter "demons" in my own memories and experiences, and realize that they sometimes become one of my external personalities or personas, protecting me from the fast-changing modern society. I named this lovable existence "Toon Demon," a word coined by combining the words carton and demon, and have been dealing with it through my work. I hope that Toon Demon will have the effect of mirroring not only the closed method of confrontation of painting, but also that of confronting the viewer.
