Lounge
April 16, 2015
Reika Ito x Asami Kiyokawa | Spiritual Dialogue Vol. 10 (Part 1)
Spiritual Talk Vol.10 | Asami Kiyokawa
Portraits of Guests 'Seen' by Reika Ito
“A Witch Who Freely Manipulates Light to Create Beauty” (Part 1)
We invite creators active on various stages as guests, and spiritual healerReika Itoreads the energy emitted by individuals, combining it with various astrological methods to assess the source of their creativity. She uncovers past lives directly connected to the present and hidden potential, delving into the charm of the creators themselves, which often remains hidden behind their work.
Text by OPENERSPhotos by Kenta Suzuki
Our 10th guest is the artist Asami Kiyokawa. Through her photo collection "Bijo Saishu" (Collecting Beauties), featuring her costumes and artworks, and her picture books inspired by timeless masterpieces like "The Mermaid" and "Night on the Galactic Railroad," she expresses a unique world where reality and fantasy intertwine. In this first part, holding her new collection "ASAMI KIYOKAWA - 5 Stitch Stories" and "Night on the Galactic Railroad," released in October, she spoke about her own creations.
Strong yet fragile, black and white, and profound—"Bijo Saishu" Evokes the Charm of Women
ItoYour work is so diverse.
KiyokawaI brought my new collection, "ASAMI KIYOKAWA - 5 Stitch Stories," which was released recently. I think you'll get a good sense of what I do by looking at it. It features a selection of my work from the past 10 years.
ItoWow. Would you describe yourself as an artist?
KiyokawaI'm a textile artist, and also an art director. My primary roles are art director and artist working in museums, but it's quite varied, and how I'm referred to depends on the context (laughs).
ItoWhen people think of you, they think of "Bijo Saishu."
Left: Picture book "Night on the Galactic Railroad," Right: Collection "ASAMI KIYOKAWA - 5 Stitch Stories"
Kiyokawa"Bijo Saishu" really started as a personal project. I've always been interested in women. They are strong yet fragile, dark yet light, and profound. What does it mean to be a woman, encompassing both their beautiful and less beautiful aspects?
ItoWomen have duality, and their expressions change in an instant.
Asami Kiyokawa
KiyokawaSo, I find women more complex than men. The desires and ambitions of women are incredible. Initially, I was interested in gravure photography and even worked as a stylist for gravure shoots. From there, I started thinking about how to create work that could be both gravure and art. "Beauty" is universal, and I thought it would be fascinating to line up portraits of beautiful women in a museum. When I proposed the idea, it was accepted, and that's how it began. Then, around 2003, I started embroidering portraits, which led to "Bijo Saishu."
Spiritual Talk Vol.10 | Asami Kiyokawa
Portraits of Guests 'Seen' by Reika Ito
“A Witch Who Freely Manipulates Light to Create Beauty” (Part 1)
I Love the Real World, Yet Can Instantly Transport Myself to Imagined Spaces
ItoThe idea of "embroidering beauties" is incredible.
KiyokawaInsect specimens are pinned with needles, aren't they? So, the act of 'pinning' felt like 'collecting,' giving it a collector's vibe, which I found interesting. It's like spotting an intriguing beauty, capturing her, pinning her, and preserving her (laughs).
ItoThat's fascinating. About how many have you 'collected' so far?
KiyokawaWith the recent release of "AKB48 x Bijo Saishu," the number has increased significantly. Including the AKB48 members, it's around 80 to 90 people (laughs).
ItoThat's amazing. Do you choose the women you portray? It's quite a star-studded lineup.
Asami Kiyokawa
KiyokawaMasami Nagasawa, Erika Sawajiri, Maki Horikita... most of them, yes. Some I approached because I thought readers would want to see them, while others I simply wanted to meet personally (laughs).
ItoWere you interested in art from the beginning?
KiyokawaWhen I was a student, I attended a preparatory school for art college and received a recommendation for a university in Kansai. But I suddenly wanted to go to Tokyo. How should I put it... I felt a desire to escape my current environment.
ItoYou didn't want to stay put.
KiyokawaExactly. There was a period when I felt I didn't want to be in a place where people knew me. So, I took the leap, thinking that in Tokyo, nobody would know me. It was a fashion school, but I eventually realized I didn't want to make clothes; I just liked wearing and buying them. So, I lost all interest in sewing. That's why I started embroidery after graduation. Now, I feel my experiences from school have been useful (laughs).
ItoAnd this worldview of yours?
KiyokawaI've always loved this kind of thing. I love the intensely real world, but I'm also someone who can instantly go to an imagined space. I can escape reality in a flash. Even when traveling, I tend to travel in my mind rather than physically going somewhere. For example, I've never been to Egypt, but I can imagine what it would be like there. So, I might book a trip abroad, but about a week before, I lose the desire to go. I think, 'It's probably just like I imagined.'
ItoThat's like actually being there. I experience something similar when I do remote healing.
KiyokawaIs that so? People often say that as creators, we should travel abroad for inspiration. But I feel like going there wouldn't change anything.
ItoIt probably wouldn't. Your consciousness moves much faster. Actually, both you and I are witches.
Reika Ito
Spiritual Talk Vol.10 | Asami Kiyokawa
Portraits of Guests 'Seen' by Reika Ito
“A Witch Who Freely Manipulates Light to Create Beauty” (Part 1)
An Artist Who Pursues the Unprecedented and the Uncharted
KiyokawaWitches!?
ItoI was a witch in a past life. Humans live multiple lives in different bodies, so it's not just one past life, but I have had past lives as a witch.
KiyokawaFellow witches! We're definitely not ordinary, are we?
ItoPerhaps we live pretending to be ordinary (laughs). It's exactly like the world of "Night on the Galactic Railroad," the picture book you illustrated. It's that kind of story, isn't it?
KiyokawaSo, does that mean Kenji Miyazawa was also of the same kind? I feel there's a strong connection.
ItoHe was an incredibly spiritual person. It's exactly this worldview.
KiyokawaI knew it! I felt a connection, so I really wanted to work on this picture book. It's pure intuition, but I'm surprisingly good at sensing these things. My life is mostly guided by intuition.
Picture book "Night on the Galactic Railroad"
ItoYou are guided. Your mission is decided by your subconscious; you are born with the intention to live this life in a certain way. You are guided by a greater force. Therefore, I don't think it's about what you want to do in 10 or 20 years. The worldview itself is vast. As long as it fits within that framework, anything is fine.
KiyokawaThat's right, wow!
ItoI believe you will continue to do things that have no precedent and no right answer. With "Bijo Saishu" as well, I want to create works that capture the unique individuality of each person, focusing on those who are popular in the world.
Asami Kiyokawa
KiyokawaThat's right. But why women specifically?
ItoPerhaps it's because you are drawn to beautiful things. You likely want to enjoy the beauty that exists in the world yourself. But by adorning the world with things that everyone finds beautiful or cute, wouldn't it become brighter? I think that's the kind of world you want to live in.
KiyokawaI see. That makes perfect sense.