Artist's statement: It was a blazing summer day in Tokyo. Humidity thick like sap. I met my host-mother at the train station, together cycling to the grandparents’ house. I was to learn Shūji – the Japanese art of calligraphy writing. I spent an hour drawing a single line. Each motion meticulous to obsession. Afterwards we drank cold beer and watched the sumo. I did the dishes as thanks. A choir of peaceful insects sang swiftly. The sun subsided.

Artist's statement: One morning, I saw a rather grumpy looking child wearing a fine, little hat. They sat alone in a tulip stand, seemingly buried among the mounds of different bulbs. The child’s mother returned and I thought my photo opportunity was lost. I quickly snapped my shutter as my friends dragged me along. Later, I discovered the grin that had broken out on lil’ tulip dude’s face. Finally, time to get out of this dirty tulip stand. 

Artist's statement: Pictured is Tsuruhashi, or Koreatown: a neighborhood in Osaka which boasts the largest number of ethnic Koreans in Japan. Despite residing in a relatively homogenous country, Koreans are one of several unique cultural populations that call Japan home. Today, Tsuruhashi is a bustling area full of small shops, outdoor markets, and food stalls, where many people get their day-to-day goods or stop for some amazing food.

Artist's statement: This photo was taken at Mercato Centrale in Florence, Italy. I captured this moment during a field trip to the historic market with my Food Culture in Italy class. Our Professor, Marco, chose Mercato Centrale as a central focus of our course because it demonstrates the focus on fresh, local produce in Italian culture. The bountiful arrangement of fruits and vegetables sits under a sign that reads “L’ortolano” which refers to a produce vendor or farmer.

Artist's statement: Known as the "land of the long white cloud", New Zealand has many hikes where one can see nature for miles. Queenstown's infamous "Ben Lomond Track" averages around 5-6 hours with 3,281 feet of elevation gain and breath-taking panoramic views at the top. Once reaching the summit, many will stop to take pictures to capture the memory and forever remember the exhilarating experience of feeling like a bird flying through the clouds.

Artist's statement: I was sitting on a bench outside a ramen restaurant. This woman rode her bike my way. For a minute I was distracted from my hunger. Perhaps a picture of her in front of this dark, city background would look nice. It seems I was not the only one whose attention she caught. Fellow bikers turned their heads, intrigued by this woman’s presence. I wonder if she knew she was craning necks all along her way.

Editor's AI Disclosure Note: No AI was used in the drafting, editing or any element of this story.