美馬摩耶「居場所」Maya Mima, "A Place of Belonging"（報告）

美馬摩耶「居場所」展
Maya Mima, "A Place of Belonging"
Kyoto City University of Arts Annual Exhibition

2025.2.7(fri)-14(fri) 10:00-18:00　2.12(wed)休廊　

美馬摩耶（京都市立芸術大学染織専攻 修士2回生　＊2025年3月当時）

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The works exhibited in this show were based on my understanding of the various activities and social movements that have taken place in the Sujin and Higashi Kujo areas over the past sixty to seventy years.

I chose Taro House as the venue because I felt that this place is deeply connected to the history of the area, not in a monumental way, but in a simple, everyday sense.

I wanted to create works that speak about community and belonging, drawing from the actions and stories of the people who have lived here. This area has long been home to people from diverse backgrounds, many of whom have lived through different forms of discrimination and trauma. Although I was not here during the most difficult times, reading about their history and talking with local residents taught me a lot about resilience, about how finding joy and togetherness despite hardship can unite people. By speaking about themselves and advocating for their rights, they have carved out a place of belonging.

I was inspired by the strong sense of connection people share with Sujin and Higashi Kujo. Events and places such as Sujin Harumatsuri, Higashikujo Madang, The Bank of Yanagihara Memorial Museum, and Kibou no Ie among many others seem to stand as homages to that past. Creating works that reflect this spirit felt like a first step in my own exploration of what it means to belong, which is an idea that reaches beyond myself.

Maya MIMA

october 8, 2025