Ilan Derech

Japan

Born in Mexico in 1990, Ilan Derech is a multidisciplinary artist whose visual language was shaped through years of experimentation in animation, generative code, photography, and film. His early explorations in digital media taught him structure and abstraction, while photography and video revealed to him the poetry of reality. His approach to filmmaking resembles that of a haiku: he captures simple, silent scenes where light, time, and gesture become subjects of contemplation. Inspired by the Japanese aesthetics of wa (harmony), ma (the space between things), and wabi-sabi (the beauty of imperfection), Ilan creates works in which presence and absence converse in meditative stillness. Influenced by wabi-sabi, ukiyo-e, and the tender beauty of impermanence, he draws inspiration from everyday details — falling sakura petals, rain on a window, fleeting shadows. Marked by the loss of his father and a long stay in Japan during the pandemic, he developed a practice in which each image becomes a refuge, a breath, a space of silence and memory.

Ilan Derech’s work has been showcased on major platforms such as SuperRare, Foundation, and OpenSea, and has been praised for its cinematic sensitivity. His pieces have been featured in international exhibitions and auctions, establishing his presence on the contemporary digital art scene. He collaborated with ZEISS on Capturing Mobility, a poetic exploration of nocturnal movement in London, and has been featured in several publications — including SuperRare Visual Haikus, OpenSea In Conversation, and Air Canada EnRoute — all highlighting the coherence and emotional depth of his artistic vision.
Through these collaborations, Ilan continues to craft a contemplative body of work that invites viewers to slow down, breathe, and rediscover the fragile beauty of the present moment.


image (1).jpeg

Glimmer

Glimmer_Ilan_Derech_Video.mp4

Glimmering lanterns,

Japanese night festival,

Joy in darkness shines.


In the hushed embrace of a Japanese night, Amidst the lanterns' soft and golden light, A summer festival comes alive with glimmer, Where dreams and wonder gleam and shimmer.

The yukatas sway like blooming flowers, In the breeze that whispers through the hours, As paper lanterns dance in graceful flight, Painting the darkness with hues so bright.

The scent of yakitori fills the air, And laughter weaves its magic everywhere, With joyous hearts and spirits unencumbered, Under the moon's watch, the night is numbered.

In this enchanting realm of festal delight, The soul finds solace and the heart takes flight, For in each glimmer, a moment's delight, In Japanese summer nights, memories alight.


Each section of the artwork holds its very own meaning.

The top panel reflects the history, showcasing a Nebuta (giant warrior-shaped paper lantern) symbolizing pride and Summer in Japan.

The central panel portrays dreams through three layers:

Moon - represented the silhouette of a girl in a kimono standing in front of a traditional circular rice paper window.

Joy - Fireworks launched during the festivals. Meticulously placed to fit into the girl’s silhouette to depict her joy for the Summer days.

Stars - Tokyo's nighttime cityscape, the background layer that through glimmering city lights emulates stars in the night sky.

The lower panel represents the souls, with hundreds of lamps illuminating the path where endless silhouettes perpetually walk, akin to the concept of "glimmer."

technique

video

format

portrait

duration

00:17

year

2023

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