Beautiful Flowers Bloom in Anti-War Watercolor Paintings

Anti-War Watercolor Paintings by Hiroki Takeda

In a world that is increasingly modern and industrial, artists often use natural motifs as symbols for healing. One artist uses his love of flower imagery to convey anti-war sentiment in a new series of watercolor paintings. Japan-based illustrator Hiroki Takeda adds colorful blooms to poignant images of war to spread a message of peace.

One painting features an airplane tearing across a dull grey sky that is perforated with empty silhouettes of other similar planes. Takeda covers the aircraft with an array of vibrant blossoms that cover the windows and wrap around the wings. Likewise, instead of bombs falling from the plane, it is loose flower stems that gently cascade down the strip of charcoal sky.

In another work, Takeda uses the same grayscale color palette to render a form of a gun, inside of which is a complex composition of two soldiers aiming their weapons at unsuspecting civilians. Littered throughout this grim scene are traces of violet flowers and delicate butterflies. The foliage appears to be growing over the scenes of war, replacing violence with nature.

You can purchase original artwork via Takeda's online store, and keep up to date with his latest creations by following the artist on Instagram.

Japanese artist Hiroki Takeda adds colorful flowers to somber grey paintings.

Anti-War Watercolor Paintings by Hiroki TakedaAnti-War Watercolor Paintings by Hiroki TakedaAnti-War Watercolor Paintings by Hiroki Takeda

These blooms convey anti-war sentiment and a desire to replace destruction with peace and healing.

Anti-War Watercolor Paintings by Hiroki TakedaAnti-War Watercolor Paintings by Hiroki TakedaAnti-War Watercolor Paintings by Hiroki TakedaAnti-War Watercolor Paintings by Hiroki TakedaHiroki Takeda: Instagram | Store

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Hiroki Takeda.

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Margherita Cole

Margherita Cole is a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met and illustrator based in Southern California. She holds a BA in Art History with a minor in Studio Art from Wofford College, and an MA in Illustration: Authorial Practice from Falmouth University in the UK. She wrote and illustrated an instructional art book about how to draw cartoons titled 'Cartooning Made Easy: Circle, Triangle, Square' that was published by Walter Foster in 2022.
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