Mari Katayama

Mari Katayama creates works, departing from hand-sewn objects and extending to photography, video, and installation, as a practice of ascertaining the society, social roles, and landscapes that are interwoven and resonating in multiple layers. Her hand-sewn objects appear repeatedly, changing in form and function, in each self-portrait series, thereby making the norms and gazes inherent in society visible. In the making of photographs, Katayama always releases the shutter herself: by engaging with the relationship of ‘taking/being taken,’ she examines the boundaries and dynamics between the self and the other. Using settings constructed with mirrors or her own room as the stage for photography, Katayama reflects not only on relationships and frictions, but also on the world and the structures that lead to them. Through these processes, she questions the nature of boundaries: the relation between ‘I’ and ‘you,’ what constitutes ‘correctness,’ and where the line between ‘natural’ and ‘artificial’ lies.

Since 2011, Katayama has led the High Heel Project, which proclaims ‘freedom of choice.’ In this project, she aims to ensure that everyone can make choices based on their own will, regardless of their physical condition or ability, and to expand the range of options that underpin this freedom. In addition to her artistic practice, she works as a singer, model and public speaker, broadening the points of contact where artistic expression intersects with society.