Inspired by science fiction and cyberpunk, Ikeuchi explores the tension between fact and fiction. Virtual reality, the metaverse and transhumanism used to exist in the world of fiction. Now, they’re breaking out from the literary and cinematic to function in our real lives. It’s up to us how we respond. It might seem like a contradiction, but humans and technology have more in common than it first appears, and not just in a creepy AI way. We created technology so humanity and tech will always be interlinked. “I think we can learn more about the nature of human beings themselves from the way they use technology,” says Ikeuchi. “We may also be able to understand humans by comparing them to technology.” Having hope in technology means taking a risk and daring to dream. Working with technology requires the same drive. With some larger pieces taking more than a month to finish, Ikeuchi is driven by obsession – an obsession balanced between functionality and design, and how to marry the two.