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Saori Kanda on exhibiting Art Basel in Maimi, her philosophy of Self Love and shinto rituals.

Saori opens up about a transformative year, how self love is not selfish and how she incorporates nature that’s embodied in shinto tradition into her art.

By Japan Contemporaries, November 29, 2024

Saori Kanda, a “Dancing Painter” based in Tokyo, held a performance and solo exhibition titled Self Love for World Peace in New York in October 2023 (curated by Kyoko Sato, held at the Nippon Gallery, and Times Square screens, New York, lead sponsor by Bulls Tokyo, additional support provided by Okada Museum of Art and Hinata NFT, presented by Vision Art Media). 

Supporting her participation is Assemblage Inc., founded in 2024, whose aim is to “create an environment where artists can continue their activities, increase the value of art, and promote it to the world.” Shiho Seto, the company’s president, commented, “This challenge of participating in Art Basel offers a platform for Japanese female artists to be recognized on the international stage, creating new opportunities for recognition and exchange. I believe this endeavor will showcase the diversity and appeal of Japanese art to the world and become a crucial step in opening up the future for female artists.”

It was made possible by the sponsorship of Assemblage Co., Ltd. START GROUPis responsible for the official publication of Art Basel’s books.

Along with her enthusiasm for Miami, we asked her about her creative theme of “love and peace.”

Japan Contemporaries (JC): We met just over a year ago and since then so much has changed. Wars are raging in the middle east and Europe. You have a very strong message of peace through love of oneself. How can this help address the times we live in?

Saori Kanda (SK): As a human being who was born on this earth, I always ask myself what it means to be born into this world. And I always end up with “Love is inside you from birth.” “Love is not something to be taken away, but something to be shared from oneself.” It is the joy of the essence.

All the time you live in this world  to cultivate love within oneself and let it overflow like a spring.

Overflowing love eventually becomes a concrete act of love. It spreads to the world as gentle energy.

We are heartbroken by the sad news around the world. And I think it’s about time that humanity on Earth graduated from this kind of development.

Now is the time for everyone to remember it. Love is not taken from others. Love is always already in you. Hence It is the message of “Self Love for World Peace”.

JC: How can this bring people together?  Do you think you can convey empathy to people? 

SK: Self-love is often confused with selfishness, which is that only you are good, but in reality, it is completely different. Selfishness is confronted with the outside world, “what it is to lose,” not to the inside. I can’t really love myself. Self-love is to carefully look inside yourself and listen sincerely to the voice of your soul.

I think it’s about each of us deepening our self-love and self-trust and regaining the original abilities that we were given at birth. Because we are sincere in our own lives, we will also be sincere in the lives of others. You will be able to come into contact with the outside world in a way that is love. I feel that world peace and self-love are connected.

We use the energy of love Through Ourselves to Others.  I feel truly deep happiness when I “circulate.” That’s true self-love.

Congratulations, thank you, and  Congratulating and encouraging each other.

Sharing Warm Foods, Share a gentle hug, Sharing beautiful emotions, Sharing tears of joy, Accompany and heal each other’s grief, Sparkling and rejoicing in each other’s hearts, Open our hearts to each other and share our purity.

When you live your daily life in the midst of such a cycle, The vitality will be overflowing, and the energy of love will overflow even more powerfully within you.

Then, you will be able to choose one by one in your own “way of love”.

It manifests itself in our daily words and actions. At that time, we are filled with trust, pride, and joy in ourselves. I’m glad I was born! I am relieved.

“Excitement, pride, and joy circulate”

I feel that the essence of this joy of human life is now spreading all over the world, transcending the differences in various lifestyles.

JC: Please tell us about Miami. What will you be performing/presenting?

SK: I would like to present four works excerpted from the “vibration” series, which express my joy of life and its energy on canvas using the action painting method.

It will be deployed in the START GROUP space in ABMB.

JC: What do you hope your art achieves there?

SK: I want to tell the world Through My Art The purity in the depths of one’s heart. I want you to touch on that possibility.

And the love within yourself “Share with yourself” A tide full of gentle and beautiful joy. Embracing the world. I strongly hope that the sad news from all over the world will disappear one by one.

JC: Are there any other topics you would like to discuss?

SK: Since the coronavirus, everyone in the world has had the opportunity to feel “death” close to them, and as a result of being confronted with the limited life and the way of life in the future, a flow that transcends the boundaries of conventional values has been born, and we have come to face the way of life that connects with our souls and enjoys our bodies.

In the midst of changes in work styles, living environments, partnerships, and the fundamentals of life, the values of the contemporary art world are also gradually changing.

In my case, talk to your soul on a daily basis, and let your soul say YES! If you act with courage and live your life, you will feel a sense of vitality. That there is your own light that you have been given since birth, that there are infinite possibilities no matter how old you are. More and more people are realizing that it is good to enjoy life to the fullest with “soul, body, and teamwork.” I think the world is changing.

Art opens the heart and gives you the opportunity to feel safe and listen to your soul. I strongly feel that what I am doing is in sync with the trends of the times.

In the midst of my own life With the crush of exchanging love I want to always be full of the energy of the joy of living. And with that energy, they attract each other and meet. We will work hand in hand with wonderful creators from all over the world who resonate with our souls to realize various projects, including charity projects.

Starting with New York around the world, With the theme of “Self Love For World Peace.” My vision is to hold more art ceremony performances and solo exhibitions. I believe that art can contribute to world peace. We will share the expression of love with all our hearts.

JC: You held a performance/exhibition and presented a message through the times square screen in New York last fall. What kind of meaning did that project have?

SK: As I said in the documentary short movie, Once I had cleared my desire to contribute to world peace, Kyoko Sato contacted me at that time and asked me to participate in a project to screen the artist’s activities on a screen in Times Square. I was so happy that I immediately replied, “I’m ready.” As a result, it turned out to be more than I imagined.

In the form of jacking multiple screens in Times Square, I was able to release the message of “Self Love For World Peace” with my art.

In addition, the art performance was held at The Nippon Gallery of The Nippon Club in front of art-related VIP guests invited by Kyoko Sato and The Nippon Club and it was full house. (Lead sponsor by Bulls Tokyo, and sponsored by Okada Museum of Art.) 

As a Japanese artist, I centered on the spirituality of “Wa.”

We delivered a unique ceremonial performance that fuses song, dance and painting.

In the middle of the song, I felt as if I was synchronizing with some great sadness and pain, and there was a scene where I painted the picture I was drawing in blue and black, but from there, it seemed to come back to life powerfully, and I was able to create a very beautiful and powerful work in which the burn and light burst into the darkness, and at the end, the energy of love shines.

And I thought, “I’m here to deliver a message of world peace to New York, so I definitely want to sing this song,” so I sang John Lennon’s “Imagine” in front of the picture I drew.

Everyone was very moved, and some people hugged me with tears in their eyes. As an artist, I was really happy to be congratulated and congratulated on “keep doing things in your own way.”

It was a wonderful experience that relieved my soul and healed me that I was able to deliver my role and important things.

In New York, where the United Nations is located, the central axis of world peace.

What I was able to send a powerful message as a Japan person. It was a very powerful and meaningful project to deliver the message of world peace through art to the world.

I feel like it’s a great beginning.Thank you for making this project a reality. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to everyone involved. Come and watch a documentary short movie. Please take a look.

JC: And if you sympathize with Saori’s message, join her on her project.