As an artist residing in Japan in 1997, I was fascinated with Japanese animation. I began seeing it as one way to communicate and express ideas between myself and the younger generation living in Tokyo. I think Japanese culture nurtures individuals to become sensitive, respectful, and to not openly expressive to what they are feeling - I could understand this through my upbringing. In Japan, I felt that animation was one outlet for young people to express their reaction to the norms and pressures of everyday life. While in Japan, I began using it as a medium to record my own experiences of life in Tokyo. My work started to evolve and I became more interested in bringing awareness to socio-political issues through this popular Japanese art form. The result was a series of work created and exhibited under the title “Sick in Japan”. The works were exhibited in Tokyo and eventually travelled to major venues in Seoul, Taiwan, and Shanghai.