'xyz' is a series of personal observations on form and spatial structure in the Japanese public space. The series is based on a confrontation of the western concept and bipolar taxonomy of space as positive/negative in order to ascribe presence, availability, occupation or emptiness. In stark contrast, the spatial concept according to the Japanese culture includes a temporal aspect and inadvertently seeks to democratise the viewer's perception and shift the focus from a materialistic to an empirical point of view.
The stimulant for these observations was an exploration of the manifold meanings of the concept Ma (間),"Lit. 'empty, gap, space'; the space between two structural parts.", a notion which further resonates that the Japanese sense of place is regarded as having both a spatial and a temporal component. More than that, a number of terms in the Japanese language are defined in the context of place, including terms that describe social activities and relations, as well as specific roles and identities.