Sky Photos for Survival: A Kyoto Artist’s 4-Year Daily Ritual

A Kyoto-based photo artist, Noe Okada, 45, has photographed the sky daily for over four years, an act she began as a quiet protest against violence and a way to cope with deep personal struggles, including suicidal thoughts. Her daily ritual started on February 24, 2022, the day Russia invaded Ukraine. Okada, a graduate of Saga Art College, faced career instability during Japan's employment ice age and long felt pressure from others' expectations, leading to mental illness and a destroyed camera. She resumed photography, finding that the moment of pressing the shutter made her feel alive, calling the camera her "second heart." She now creates accessories from her sky photos to help people look upward, and she and her mother, a watercolor artist, maintain a healthy distance while holding joint exhibitions. Okada advises those suffering to seek help, saying that others care more than they realize and that different views will emerge through persistence.