大学で初めて学べる未知の世界に憧れて進学した日本画科。そこで出会った技法や歴史は私に新しい視点をもたらしてくれました。

其処からここまで長い時間の中で見える景色は変わっていきました。「お金と自分一人の部屋」を得るための暮らしの中で、絵に向かい合う物理的な時間が限られた季節もありました。しかし今思うことは、その中で出会った全ての出来事が絵描きとしての今の私を作り、制作する大切な対象を教えてくたということです。

今ここに女として生きる私が日本画の歴史を振り返る時、強い力が作り出した文化の陰で隠されていったもう一つの文化が見えてきます。それは弱者である市井の人々の文化です。私はその歴史の事実と、普通に日々を暮らす人々に愛された浮世絵や春画に注目しています。春画に描かれた女達は女らしさのステレオタイプの外に居て、春画を排除したイデオロギーと社会構造は現在にも通じていると思います。

日本画とそれら庶民の絵はコインの表裏のような存在であり、多くのことを教えてくれます。私は浮世絵の表面的な美しさの背後にある歴史を見逃すことなく、現代社会でも強い力が作る潮流の陰で抑圧され、生きづらさを感じつつも発する言葉を持ち得ない彼女や彼らの声を聞き、諦観するだけではなく向き合って作品を作って行きたいと考えています。

I harbored a fascination for the unknown world when I embarked on my journey into the Japanese painting department at university. The techniques and history I encountered there provided me with a fresh perspective.

The landscapes that unfolded over the extended period from then to now have changed significantly. Living in pursuit of ‘money and a room of one’s own’ meant there were seasons where my physical time facing the paintings were limited. However, looking back, I realize that every experience during that time has shaped the artist I am today, teaching me about the essential subjects for my creations.

When I look back on the history of Japanese painting from a current perspective as a woman, out of the shadows of the mainstream, another, hidden culture became apparent to me. This is the culture of the common people, the underprivileged. I am drawn to the facts of their history and the ukiyo-e and shunga that were loved by ordinary people in their daily lives. I think the women depicted in shunga exist beyond the stereotypes of femininity, and the ideologies and societal structures that excluded shunga, and continue to resonate in the present.

Japanese painting and the art of common people, such as ukiyo-e and shunga, coexist like the two sides of a coin,providing numerous lessons. Without overlooking the historical context beneath the surface beauty of ukiyo-e,my goal is to create artworks that not only recognize the oppression experienced in the shadows of the powerful currents shaping modern society but also give a voice to the voiceless.