Red Chrysanthemum is a stylized 3D character piece commissioned by a renowned tattoo parlor chain known for its bold, alternative visuals and deep ties to Japanese folklore and dark art. This digital sculpture merges the elegance of traditional Japanese aesthetics with visceral horror, creating a figure that is both beautiful and deeply unsettling.

At its center is a haunting geisha, adorned in a richly embroidered kimono and delicate kanzashi hairpieces hallmarks of classical refinement. But the mask of serenity is shattered by blood-stained lips and skin marked by stitches and trauma. Her wide, glassy eyes evoke a trance-like state, capturing a moment suspended between seduction and savagery.

Set against a backdrop inspired by ukiyo-e, the piece is a deliberate subversion of the geisha ideal exploring themes of concealed violence, ritual transformation, and the fragility of identity beneath societal expectation. The work needed to reflect the tattoo studio’s aesthetic: a fusion of storytelling, dark symbolism, and reverence for traditional craft reimagined through a modern, stylized lens.

With its detailed sculpting, cinematic lighting, and layered meaning, Red Chrysanthemum stands as a visual poem one that balances horror and beauty, control and chaos.