JAPANESE ARTIST MARI KATAYAMA USES SELF PORTRAITS TO MAKES US REFLECT ON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT OUR PHYSICAL BODIES

    @ the Tate Modern "I'm wearing little high heels, I have child's feet 1992-2023" Japanese artist Mari Katayama uses her body and materials she finds around her to make self-portraits to comfort the viewer confronting misconceptions about our physical bodies. Katayama was born with a rare developmental condition:congenital tibial hemimelia where a child is born with a partial or complete absence of the tibia (shinbone), leading to leg length discrepancies and potential knee and ankle deformities. Katayama chose to have her legs amputated at age 9.

    The exhibit is powerful visually and not totally pleasant to view- it really makes you reflect on your own physical body & spiritual-emotional resilience as well as on the powerful effect of art on the human spirit.