Statement

I document spaces that emerge through acts of creation, by both my own and those of others. I am good at learning languages compared to other people. On the contrary, however, I often need time to put my thoughts into words, even in my native language. Beyond the differences between languages such as Japanese and English, people who share the same language still use words differently. I am interested in how those differences can be translated, and how people can communicate to others in a balanced manner—neither too much nor too little.


My primary execution methods are installation and books. My work combines text with images created through projection, including photography, video, and cyanotype. If a person’s verbalization process is slow, everyday conversation does not function; however, installations and books have a distinct framework of time from everyday conversations. Working with media that allow to take time, I propose the idea that there is no shortest route to building relationships with others, even in a contemporary society that demands speed and efficiency. 


In my practice, the ultimate goal is not mutual understanding, but reconciliation. People often use the metaphor of “walking in another person’s shoes,” when describing mutual understanding. Yet, the act of someone else placing their feet into the shoes may feel invasive to some. Moreover, everyone has different sizes and shapes of feet; wearing someone else’s shoes does not necessarily allow a person to fully understand how they feel. Instead, I propose reconciliation as the act of measuring another person’s feet and making shoes for them. Shoemaking needs craftsmanship; even with accurate measurements, the first pair will most likely be clumsy and unwearable. The process of reconciliation is similar to continuing to make shoes. I seek to express the process of repeated reconciliation, sometimes involving pain or failure, to make the relationship grow stronger.