Born in 1951, Tokyo. While in university at the age of 21, Ito became inspired by European art from the eras of 1920s and 1930s, and started to take interest in art that involves the physical body. She began to train in physical expressions through various lessons and started to perform art. After living in the Netherlands between 1982-86, Ito launched her career as a performance artist. Inspired by the saying ìThe Personal is Politicalî, Ito began to explore the theme of ìskinî to express the borderline that exists between the individual and society. This led to Itoís expression of her own sexuality in her performance art. In 1996, ìSelf Portraitî questioned the power structure in the heterosexual and patriarchal society, followed by îMe Being meî (1998); ìWhere is a fear?î (2001); ìRainbow Colorî (2004); and the ìRubber Titî series (2006). Next, Itoís focus shifted to the invisibility of minority groups such as the comfort women and rape victims of the US army at the Okinawa base. This was marked by performances such as: ìI Do Not Forget Youî (2006); ìOne Responseî (2008), îOne Response- Bea Bong-gi and the Countless Other Womenî series (2010). These performances are Itoís answer to those victims of sexual violence, to address Japanís inability to confront and solve those issues even till this day. After experiencing the March 11 earthquake and nuclear power plant accident in Fukushima, Ito is now working on a new performance titled ìA Deep Lament: Nuclear Radiation is Colorless So It Must Be Fineî.
Tari Ito
Participants
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