TUJ Art 
MIMI ON THE MOON is a collection of works featuring a young adolescent girl named Mimi. Her name is a play on words, meaning “ears” in Japanese; it also sounds like “me-me” and is a common nickname for the name Naomi. She is a lonely girl on the moon who lives with a colony of rabbits (inspired by a Japanese folktale about rabbits who live on the moon and make mochi). Her story explores themes of alienation, community, and identity, and the complex emotions of simultaneously wanting to grow up and wanting to stay a child forever.
one of the earliest versions of mimi, from vector drawing to laser-cut engraving on acrylic board, 2021, 10 x 10 cm
four panel scenes of mimi, to be laser-printed, before the laser printer caught on fire, 2022
preliminary sketches for mimi on the moon oil painting series, digital illustration, 2022
drying off after a bath (mimi on the moon), oil paint on canvas, 2022, 55 x 46 cm
celebration (mimi on the moon), oil paint on canvas, 2022, 55 x 46 cm
comet show (mimi on the moon), oil paint on canvas, 2022, 55 x 46 cm
home is very, very far away (mimi on the moon), oil paint on canvas, 2022, 55 x 46 cm
vitruvian gurl, digital illustration, 2022, 39 x 39 cm
About the Artist
Naomi Karabin is an American-born illustrator currently active in Tokyo. She began drawing early on in childhood and is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Arts from Temple University, Japan Campus.
Naomi’s works are identifiable by their fantastical and dreamlike quality. Her subject is often female, with animal or fantasy characteristics.
Naomi explores a variety of mediums, such as oil paint, digital illustration, screen printing, and laser engraving. She considers texture a vital element in creating the tone of the image, and she often experiments with recreating the same image across different mediums.
She is inspired by Japanese shoujo manga and themes of girlhood, such as romance, parent-child relationships, and the transition from child to woman. Her works represent a return to childhood, drawing in a style reminiscent of children’s storybook illustrations. She hopes her audience will be attracted to the visual aspects of her work as well as their narratives.