"Lucerna"
Oscar Ruipérez López - Polop de la Marina, España

About Artwork:

Lucerna is an ode to light—as a symbol of life, guidance, and hope within the aquatic world. This aquascape represents a hidden corner of a submerged forest, where rays of light pierce through the dense canopy of plants to reveal an ancient path, blanketed in moss and teeming with life. The layout aims to capture that magical moment where nature breathes in silence and balance.

The central path gently winds through structures draped in ferns and epiphytes, drawing the viewer’s eye toward a distant, serene vanishing point. Every layer of vegetation is carefully positioned to create natural movement and depth, mimicking the spontaneous growth patterns of a wild forest floor.

Inspiration:
This aquascape draws inspiration from temperate mountain forests, where light barely reaches the ground and creates rich microclimates filled with moss and shadow-loving plants. The work also pays tribute to the naturalistic Japanese style pioneered by Takashi Amano, with poetic visual cues borrowed from the fantastical worlds of Studio Ghibli, where light often carries emotional weight and storytelling power.

Message Behind the Work:
Lucerna delivers a message of reflection and mindfulness: even in the most concealed and shaded places, life thrives when there is light. This layout serves as a reminder that beauty lies in the smallest details, and that harmony is achieved through respect for natural processes—minimal interference, maximum appreciation.

#1539: Oscar Ruipérez López - Polop de la Marina, España