Ouma

As a former veterinarian, I have been exploring art as an alternative to therapy. I believe that creation is the greatest form of healing, and I have been presenting works that continue to change through the viewer's own creative chain of experiences.

From the books of Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross...

As a former veterinarian, I have been exploring art as an alternative to therapy. I believe that creation is the greatest form of healing, and I have been presenting works that continue to change through the viewer's own creative chain of experiences.

From the books of Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross and my own experiences, I learned that death is a great pain for human beings. Since then, in thinking about death, I have thought that life should be defined anew, and from the biological idea that the cell is the smallest unit of life, I have defined two ways of looking at life: a layered structure in which people are considered cells and society is considered life, and a view of life in which people have different degrees of attachment.

Currently, I am advocating the concept of "social therapy" by linking this view of life more closely to medical treatment. This is a concept that follows Joseph Beuys' social sculpture, turning every person into a doctor who treats the life form of society, and a patient who is treated by society.

In light of the current situation in Japan, where the suicide rate remains high despite improvements in medical technology, it can be seen that society, which is composed of people, is becoming sick. It is necessary to turn our attention to society as well as to the individual.
This is "social therapy".

For the communication of social therapy, I am now focusing on "the shape of the city" and "language", and "placement" as therapy. In his book "Cities and Ambition", Paul Graham says that cities have a voice and influence on human beings. In Brazil, Concretism was born in the regular city of São Paulo, and Neo-Concretism was born in the more organic city of Rio de Janeiro. We believe that this is a good example of art representing the voice of society.

To treat society means to make society a safe and secure place. I think that is what hospitals do. For me, having experienced long-term hospitalization as a child, a hospital was a place where I felt safe and protected. I wonder if it would be possible to add more diversity to hospitals. Libraries around the world come in all shapes and sizes because the function of a library is much more than just "lending out books. There is a close relationship between function and form. If the function is not diversified, the shape will not be diversified either.

I believe that the concept of social therapy will have penetrated society when we can increase the functions of hospitals and make all of society feel like a place where people can create.

Illness essentially requires the help of others. Is it possible to change illness into an existence that connects people, people and society, rather than dividing them? Through my creations, I want to create a relationship in which each person is needed by society and protected by society.

That is what I am aiming for as an artist now.