This girl is about to turn twenty. Her outfits will not be so bright and flowery anymore. She does not have a distinct facial features. She covers her face with powder. She hides her individuality. She expresses herself through interesting objects on her head. This is how she is connected to the world.

A maiko (舞妓) is a 15 to 20 years old apprentice geisha in Japan, who performs the tea ceremonies, sings, dances, and plays a musical instruments. These teen girls style their hair (nihongami) with ornaments (kanzashi). They are not on the path to become courtesans: they are not  Oiran (花魁).

• Reference Code: LN189A22NJ
• Materials: acrylic on cotton paper