Crossing Vertical Boundaries
- Graduated from Kumamoto Prefectural Hitoyoshi High School／
- Graduated from Department of Visual Communication Design, School of Design, Kyushu University／
- Finished the Master's Program at the Content and Creative Design Course, Department of Design, Graduate School of Design, Kyushu University／
- Entered the Doctoral Program of the Department of Design, Graduate School of Design, Kyushu University in 2023／
Related department, course
- Media Design Course (Undergraduate)
- Media Design Course (Graduate)
- Department of Visual Communication Design
- Content and Creative Design Course
The reason why I chose the Graduate School of Design
During high school, I became interested in forms of expression that lie at the intersection of two fields, cultural and technical, such as music and film. At the same time, I felt uncomfortable with rigid frameworks like the division between the humanities and sciences. Through this, I learned about the existence of a school that integrates art and engineering, and decided to apply. When considering a doctoral program, I had already realized during my undergraduate and master’s studies how valuable Geiko’s unique facilities are, and how they allow for two parallel approaches, both theoretical and practical (papers and artworks), depending on how one engages with them. Wanting to make the most of this environment, I chose to continue my studies here.
My most memorable class
I have served as a teaching assistant (TA) for several of my supervisor’s classes, and among them, I would like to introduce a class focused on food. This class combines both theory and practice related to food. Students explore contemporary food design as well as the historical, cultural, and political backgrounds of food, visit food factories and sake breweries, and ultimately work in groups to create “one dish” as a final project. It is a highly unique class that crosses multiple disciplines through the medium of food.
My student life
In my research, I create artworks by printing digital images onto agar media using silkscreen techniques with bioluminescent bacteria, examining their significance by connecting them to media theory, anthropology, and the history of science. While writing academic papers is my main focus, I also served as a teaching assistant, performing production work that included bacterial cultivation and organizing experimental live performance events led by my laboratory. In addition, I studied abroad in Finland for one year, where I continued to develop my work while interacting with researchers and artists in related fields.
Message to prospective students
Although each laboratory at Geiko has its own focus, the faculty offers an environment where unique facilities, such as Workshops, Anechoic Room, Photographic Darkrooms, and BioFoodLab are all located on one campus. Combined with the extensive academic resources of a comprehensive university, this allows students to move freely across traditionally vertical boundaries, such as “humanities/sciences” or divisions between undergraduate and graduate “courses” and to pursue research that bridges disciplines through both artwork creation and academic writing. Rather than being constrained by course boundaries, I encourage you to seek out a laboratory that aligns with your interests.