First Aid Series: Little Dots

This series reimagines the simple circular Band-Aid -often seen after vaccinations- as a powerful symbol of collective memory and healing. Enlarged to striking scales and rendered in bold, Warhol-esque halftone patterns, these once-small adhesive dots transform into playful polka-dot fields that shift between abstract form and layered metaphor. Viewed closely, they pulse with vibrant texture; from a distance, they conjure shared echoes of the pandemic era and its emotional terrain.

Etched with spare, reflective phrases, each piece invites contemplation of resilience, isolation, and hope. By magnifying an everyday medical object, the work becomes a meditation on time, touch, and the imprints of experience. Exhibited at the Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre in 2025, the collection continues Inouye’s ongoing inquiry into perception, memory, and the aesthetics of repair—using familiar materials to reframe how we process, preserve, and heal from our shared histories.