The 19th Study of Design Fundamentals Seminar: What You Can See from Living on the Streets

Kyushu University Faculty of Design explores the fundamental methodology of design for integrating a wide range of designs. We were pleased to invite Misako Ichimura, who has been working as an artist/activist while living as a homeless person, to the 19th Seminar on Fundamental Design Studies, “What You Can See from Living on the Streets”. Her talk and the free discussion will be in Japanese.

[Topic]
An Individual’s worldview depends on one’s position and living situation. Apparently, our society faces many exclusions caused by, for instance, poverty, labor environment, and disrespect for women. Yet, how seriously do we come to terms with these problems in reality? In this lecture, we would like to hear about the artist Ichimura, who literally lives in a “blue tent village” and sleeps in cardboard boxes, develops her keen insights towards these actual social issues, and will have an opportunity to look at society and reconsider art and design itself from her viewpoint.

[Speaker]
Misako Ichimura is an artist and activist who has lived in a blue tent village in a park in Tokyo since 2003, and runs a barter café called “Enoir” with other residents of the tent village. In 2007, she founded Nora, a group of homeless women, and has been active in anti-gentrification, feminism, and anti-Olympic activities in Japan and abroad. She is the author of “Dear Kikuchi-san, Blue Tent Village and Chocolate” (Kyototto Publishing, 2006).

[Host]
Kyushu University Faculty of Design

[Co-host]
School of Design, Design Futures Course