72nd Tokyo University of the Arts
Graduation Works Exhibitions
I love it when Mom says she loves me.
Playing tickle games with Dad is so much fun.
Oh, and it’s funny when Dad farts.
He buys me lots of toys and snacks and always plays with me.
Throwing stuffed animals around is really fun too.
A.I. age 4
Mom, remember when you made fried rice?
You always teach me how to cook when you’re making food.
When we go shopping, you let me buy something extra when I ask.
I love it when Grandpa and Grandma give me New Year’s money.
A.I. age 9
You’re always so cute.
I always love you.
Thank you for everything.
I picked red for my school bag!
A.K. age 6
I lived my grandmother when I was around 1 to 2 years old.
After my own child was born, I often sang lullabies while nursing him late at night to help put him to sleep.
One day, I started singing a lullaby that I vaguely remembered my grandmother singing to me. Suddenly, vivid memories of my grandmother came flooding back—her lying next to me
and her familiar scent. I had no recollection of those memories until that moment, but it was as if the act of singing to my child in the dark bedroom triggered something deep within my brain. People say that memories from early childhood fade away, but perhaps they are quietly stored somewhere in our minds.
I was surprised and happy to feel the love my grandmother had given me as a baby, love that I hadn’t remembered before. It felt like that love was now being passed on from me to my own child, creating a timeless connection. Even if my child forgets these moments from infancy, maybe one day, when he holds his own child, these memories will come back to him too.
H.K.
In May when I was 38 years old, I joined a group from Tokyo that helped out with rice planting in the terraced rice field village of Ōga in Yoshikawa, Joetsu City. Before this, I’d always assumed that people who used words like “fate” or “connection” were being insincere and dishonest, and that doing things quickly was always better. However, I came to appreciate the concepts of “fate” and “timing” through my interactions with the people in the village and my group. Living with this perspective, I started to value every encounter as something precious and meaningful. I also came to understand that we don’t just live by consuming food, but rather, we live by receiving the thoughts and feelings conveyed through the food.
O.S. age 44
Dangerous roads. Paths with poor visibility.
Places I’m reluctant to go to, that I have no plan to visit in the first place.
Places I wouldn’t go to alone, I can venture into if I’m with my partner.
K.K. age 43
I feel deeply moved when I hear young people talk about how they’ve been encouraged by certain lyrics or poems. Those words have brought them through hardships to arrive at this moment in their lives. My heart is filled with a sense of awe and richness when I understand the influence between the people who write the lyrics and those helped by them. To the artists who bring their talents to the world and support and save so many hearts, thank you. To the parents who raised those artists, thank you. To the good fortune that allowed these artists to emerge into the world, thank you. And to you, who have found strength and positivity by relating to and digesting those lyrics and poems, thank you. Even if I don’t know any of you personally, my heart is filled with gratitude.
M.Y. age 51
I have two siblings, and under my father’s guidance, all three of us started swimming lessons before entering kindergarten. I once asked, “Out of all the activities, why swimming?”He explained that there had been a maritime accident where only the children who could swim survived. He wanted to make sure that his children could protect their own lives, and swimming was one way to do that. When I experienced heartbreak as an adult, he told me, “You can’t be happier than your own abilities allow.” He understood what was going on. I was wanting to build my life around someone who was slightly out of my league. My father’s words changed my perspective a bit. At pivotal moments of my life, instead of offering words of inspiration, he’d tell me “If you don’t do it, you’ll just be someone who didn’t try.” The things he told me shaped my core. Four years ago, my father passed away, but I don’t feel lonely because he lives on in my heart.
Y.U. age 59
My attraction to thingsthat aren’t the same as everyone else’smight have its roots in my parents. Back when all the girls had red school bags, mine was brown. My xylophone was light green. My clothes were handmade by my mom, with designs different from everyone else’s. I wore chic colors like moss green and gray. I was happy and a bit proud to have and wear things that were different from everyone else’s.
A.O.
My younger sister was in a boarding house in Lüshun,while the rest of us were in a place called Xing’an with our father. When my sister and her boarding house friends moved up to Dalian to sell apples, they met a Russian madam who offered to help with their relocation. Thanks to her, they managed to get on a cargo ship. Then everyone started saying, “There are Reds on board.” They wanted to throw us all into the sea. We had to insist that we weren’t “red radish” and explain that we had nothing to do with that to survive.
M.S. age 97
There was a time when I had conflicts with my father. Every day he said terrible things to me that felt like torture, or maybe brainwashing. No matter how hard I tried or how good my results were, he never acknowledged me. I lost my confidence during that period and even had suicidal thoughts. But my mom and my current boyfriend have always recognized my efforts. Even when I hit rock bottom and felt I couldn’t recover, my mom would come to help me. No matter how much I fell into self-loathing, my boyfriend always praised me. He doesn’t just give empty compliments; he truly acknowledges me. Because of that, I started to feel like everything was going to be okay.
A.Y. age 24
Afterword
For this project, I conducted interviews on the theme of “Fruits of the Heart Born from Human Connections.” Drawing inspiration from the stories shared with me, I proceeded with creating my work, imagining each episode as a fruit taking shape. The stories I received were diverse: they included fruits of resilience that grew in challenging environments, as well as fruits nurtured with love and care. Like how people nourish their bodies with fruits, I felt a profound beauty in how these fruits of the heart have become sustenance for each person’s life. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all who contributed despite the moments of recalling painful memories.
KUBO AYUMI 