« Mono no aware » is a Japanese aesthetic and spiritual concept first coined by Motoori Norinaga in his study of the Genji monogatari (the tale of Genji) in the 18th century. Literally meaning things (mono) and pathos (aware), it encapsulates the nostalgia or sadness stemming from the awareness of the evanescent and impermanent nature of things, which is transcended into an aesthetic appreciation.
By means of colored smoke, Roman Moriceau impresses flowers on paper before they dissapear in dust.