Chim↑Pom and Three Other Groups Gather at Miyajima's Daisho-in. "MAFIN 2026," Considering Peace and Prayer Through Art, to Be Held
Chim↑Pom and three other groups will gather at Daisho-in on Miyajima for "MAFIN 2026," an art project exploring peace and prayer.Summary
The art project "MAFIN 2026 (Miyajima Art Festival in the Narrative 2026)" will be held on Miyajima in Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima Prefecture, from November 20 to December 13. The venue is Daisho-in, the head temple of Mount Misen on Miyajima, and the curation is by Manami Totsuka. Launched in 2025, the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing, the project takes the approximately 1,200-year history of Daisho-in as its starting point, reinterpreting the history, memories, and lives of Miyajima as a "narrative" and aiming to reconsider peace and prayer through contemporary art. This second edition is themed "Eyes of Time—A Universal, Eternal Process for Peace," questioning the meaning of "prayer as time to pause before unanswerable questions" in a society where AI provides instant answers. The four participating artists are Chim↑Pom from Smappa!Group, Sumi Kanazawa, Hiroko Kubo, and Ilya Yerashevich. Chim↑Pom from Smappa!Group will present "Good Fire, Bad Fire, Ordinary Fire," examining the "Eternal Flame" of Daisho-in, the "Flame of Peace" from the Hiroshima bombing, and a flame lit without specific context. Kanazawa will show "Sky and Void," an installation of about 100 "Newspaper Drawings," along with drawings on the theme of the atomic bomb created only during August 6–10 since 2019. Kubo, a Hiroshima-born sculptor, will exhibit "Eyes of the Forest" (2024), featuring multiple eyes. Yerashevich, from Belarus, will present "Drifting Light," using gold-leaf figures referencing Christian icons and Buddhist sculptures, with the void left after their removal. A special performance, "Hōnō Ensō at Daisho-in Kannon-dō," by Hiroshima/Onomichi-born musician Mei Tei will be held on November 22.
(Source：美術手帖)