This project addresses the theme of time by juxtaposing the past and the present, at the very simplest. This baseline is established through back and forth shots of the same city taken an indeterminate amount of time apart - it is obvious that the city has not survived the erosion of time. The time is then made a bit ambiguous by the continuous presence of the main figure - the cat. As cats’ lifespans are shorter than humans’, how is this cat still here when humans are gone? This hints that more than just the passage of time has touched this city.

On a conceptual level, the narrative revolves around the symbolism of flowers - specifically, flowers are used as a metaphor for human life. The sunflower, tulip, and violet in the first scrolling scene establish this continuous motif. The chrysanthemum that follows represents long life and duration in Chinese culture and acts as the main symbol that connects flowers and life. It implies that humanity’s hold on life is fragile and easily destroyed. The chrysanthemum also represents time - as long as it lived, time would stand still, but as soon as it’s destroyed everything catches up to the world at once. It’s meant to represent the way humanity lives every day in ignorance of looming mortalities, trying to freeze our lives in the current moment when none of our actions have consequences.

The static noises and gradual crescendoes are meant to build tension, which reflects the narrative. Time may be frozen now, but the more we act destructively, the closer we push the world to the breaking point. In the end, it may only take the single death of a flower to break the tension and cause the time to catch up to us.