As a Japanese woman living in the United States, I often struggle with my attempts at communication, since English is not my first language. As a result, I am very interested in the subject of communication and my desire for intimacy.
Repeated misunderstandings have made me sad. Continuously appearing ignorant has brought me real frustration. I feel that there are eyes on me all the time, and this intimidates me. I feel that the more I stay here, the more I shrink. I’ve lost myself. Loneliness has made me eager for a deeper sense of affinity with others.
I’ve undertaken performance pieces as a way to express the intense support that being loved by someone has given me. Through the performance work, I became a sculpture and connected directly with my viewing audience. Now I can finally talk with others, beyond, above, and below language’s normal spectrum.
As a material with which to connect to my audience, I’ve often utilized glass. Glass is a (very) subtle material.  I can see people behind a sheet of clear glass, people can see me as well, but we cannot touch each other directly. It is as if there is an invisible filter between people, or a thin sheer membrane of a skin that protects us all from our surroundings... and from each other.
Through performance with glass, I’m continuously expressing the unsuccessful attempts we make at developing true bonds that bridge the gaps between people.