In Praise of Shadows is the musical project of Dutch born artist and composer Jacob de Graaf, whose atmospheric compositions conjure images of rugged landscapes, lost memories and old photographs. ​He started composing under the pseudonym In Praise of Shadows in 2017, after reading Tanizaki's essay of the same name. Before that, he released a critically acclaimed CD single with Indian classical singer Shubha Mudgal, which led to a commission based on this piece for a contemporary dance group in New York City. His music was used in the documentary "Drona en Ik" by Catherine van Campen. His debut album IVY is a collection of 14 atmospheric contemporary classical pieces for solo piano, and was in part influenced by the books of Iris Murdoch and Kate Chopin.