Profile / プロフィール
Ekotumi is an interdisciplinary performance artist whose practice draws on Japanese mythology to explore the consciousness and voices that reside within the body. Working across singing, movement, literature, and installation, she approaches mythology not simply as narrative, but as something that can be encountered and re-experienced through the body.
In recent years, her practice has expanded into site-responsive work. Beginning with listening to the stories and memories held within a place, she brings them into dialogue with Japanese mythology, allowing new works to emerge through the encounter between mythology, body, place, and people.
Active internationally since 2015, she has presented solo performances in Paris, London, and Lithuania. She was a finalist for the Arte Laguna Prize, an international art competition in Italy, in 2024, and her novel based on Japanese mythology was published by Gakken.
Selected Works
New Translation Kojiki Series
A long-term series that reaches beyond the stories of the gods to the emotions beneath them, bringing a sense of lived presence back to Japanese mythology through body, voice, and music.
Echoes of the Gods
A performance beginning with a live heartbeat, exploring Japanese mythology and the question of existence.
Little God Sukunabikona
An installation that re-creates the singing and dancing body as a 360° hologram, exploring new possibilities for experiencing music in the absence of the physical body.
COVID19-20 Project
A field-recording work that gathers sounds recorded by people around the world during the COVID-19 pandemic, positions them within a spatial soundscape according to the geographic coordinates and directions of their recording locations, and weaves them into music.
・エコツミ・
カルチュラルアーティスト。日本神話をモチーフとし、身体に内在する意識や声の可能性を、歌、舞、小説、インスタレーションなど、様々な角度から表現するインターディシプリナリー・パフォーマンスアーティスト。近年は、土地に残る物語や記憶に耳を澄ませ、日本神話との対話を通して、それらを現在の身体に立ち上げるサイトスペシフィックな作品へと表現を広げている。2015年よりヨーロッパを中心に国際的に活動し、パリ、ロンドン、リトアニアで単独公演を開催。2024年、国際アートコンペティション「Arte Laguna Prize」ファイナリスト（イタリア）。Gakkenより日本神話を題材とした長編小説を出版。神社検定1級。
代表作
《新訳古事記シリーズ / New Translation Kojiki Series》
日本神話に描かれた神々の物語、その奥にある感情に触れ、失われた「神話の体温」を身体、声、音楽によって呼び戻す「新訳古事記」シリーズ。
《神々の残響 / Echoes of the Gods》
リアルタイムの心音から始まる、日本神話と「存在」をめぐるパフォーマンス。
《リトルゴッド 少名毘古那 / Little God Sukunabikona》
歌い舞う身体を360°ホログラムとして再生成し、身体の不在から新たな音楽体験を試みるインスタレーション。
《COVID19-20プロジェクト / COVID19-20 Project》
世界各地の人々が録音した「コロナ禍の音」を、録音地点の緯度経度と方角をもとに音響空間へ配置し、音楽へと編み上げたフィールドレコーディング作品。
Archivement / これまでの主な実績
- A finalist for the Arte Laguna Prize, an international art competition in Italy, in 2024.
- Awarded the grand prize for the regional art festival MMM in 2021 with her community art.
- Her performance video was selected for the finalists for the Berlin ‘WomenCinemakers Biennial2018’.
- Granted the prize ‘KDCC Northern Kyûshû digital creative contest’ with her collaborative art (a real time projection mapping performance ) with Anderson Sudario.
- Organization of solo performances New Translation Kojiki series ‘Amaterasu’ in Paris and ‘Izanami’ in Vilnius, supported by METI
Special assistance of Vilnius city, Assistance of the Lithuanian Japanese ambassy, Under the auspice of The Japan Foundation
- Organization, performance and scenario-writing of the play ‘Izanagi, Izanami’ at Tokyo Daijingû shrine, Supported by Chiyoda prefecture
- Appeared in World Art Dubai; Opening performance, Dubai
- Appeared in 1st Firenze Japanese Movie Festival 2010; Opening performance, Firenze
- Exhibition and appearance at ‘Exposition d’art contemporain japonais < AUTOMNE >’, Paris, and ‘Fragments du Japon’, Lavardens Castle
- Appeared in Japan Expo 20th-16th; Fifth consecutive performance, Paris
- Appeared in HYPER JAPAN Christmas Market; Main stage performance, London
- And many other performance tours in Japan and foreign countries such as Switzerland, Belgium, etc.
- First novel based on Japanese mythology was published by Gakken.
- One full album, five mini CDs and one mini-album released
- Selected Special award, Women Entrepreneur Contest
- Director of SHOEHORN, a general incorporated association that supports the independence of young people who have left foster care.
・Created and manages the Japanese mythology website “Tales of Japan.”
https://japanesemyth.com/
・2024年、国際アートコンペティション「Arte Laguna Prize」ファイナリスト（イタリア）ファイナリスト選出。
・地域芸術祭 MMM にてコミュニティアート作品がグランプリ及びまちづくり3710実行委員会賞を受賞
・パフォーマンス映像である初監督作品がベルリン「WomenCinemakers」選出。
・Anderson Sudario 氏とのコラボレーション作品「Airly Colors」がKDCC北九州デジタルクリエーターコンテストパフォーミング・アート部門受賞。
・ロンドン単独公演 日本大使館公式イベント「新訳古事記 -イザナミ-」助成:公益財団法人関⻄・大阪 21 世紀協会
・パリ単独公演「新訳古事記 -アマテラス-」助成:経済産業省助成
・リトアニア単独公演「新訳古事記 -イザナミ-」特別協力:ヴィリニュス市、協力:在リトアニア日本大使館、後援:国際交流基金
・東京大神宮公演「イザナギ・イザナミ」助成:千代田区文化事業
・ドバイ「World Art Dubai」オープニングパフォーマンス
・フィレンツェ「第1回日本映画祭」オープニングパフォーマンス
・フランス La vardens 城「Fragments du Japon」展、パリ「Exposition dʼart contemporain Japonais < AUTOMNE >」展参加
・パリ「Japan Expo 20th-16th」五年連続出演
・ロンドン「HYPER JAPAN Christmas Market」メインステージ出演、スイス、ベルギーツ アーなど国内外多数。
・Gakkenより、日本神話長編小説「まだ青き神々の歌」発売。
・フルアルバム 1 枚、シングル CD5 枚、ミニアルバム1枚リリース。
・女性起業家コンテスト特別賞受賞。
・児童養護施設を出た若者の自立をサポートする一般社団法人SHOEHORN 理事。
・日本神話website「Tales of Japan」を企画・運営。
https://japanesemyth.com/
Artist Statement / アーティストステートメント
When I sing, “I” do not sing.
I simply listen to the voices that arise from my body.
When I dance, “I” do not dance.
I simply try not to interfere as my body searches through the memories of a place.
Countless memories lie dormant within my body.
Memories from the moment I was born.
The blood that seeped from a wound on the day I fell.
The sun on a morning when, unusually, I woke early.
The fear that strangled a part of my soul.
A song that made me feel I could fly anywhere.
Every story up to this present moment has accumulated within me, and together they make my existence possible.
But that is not all.
Every story exists within a context.
The story that resides within the word tasogare—twilight—once you learn that it comes from tazo kare, “Who is that?”
I look up at the moon and let my thoughts wander.
The same moon was gazed upon by countless poets who composed waka centuries ago.
Japanese mythology, still present in the country where I was born and raised.
Nature, with which we coexist.
All of these accumulate, weaving stories and forming this body of mine, with its indistinct boundaries.
My body is filled with memories that precede me, and stories that precede me.
When I sing, “I” do not sing.
I simply listen to the voices that arise from my body.
When I sing, “I” do not sing.
When I dance, “I” do not dance.
I simply try not to interfere as my body searches through the memories of a place.
When I dance, “I” do not dance.