Aya Takada at TEDxTohoku 2012
Hi, I'm Aya Takada. As introduced, I use art to do many activities in my community. Today, I'd like to share with you the message behind those activities. Since childhood, I've been interested in different values. By luck, I was able to go to Canada to study culture and art. There, I happened to face different youth culture, young mind, and lifestyle. Through that experience, I began to do what I do now. What inspired me about those youths? Well, they would be active within their communities and have opinions on how to keep improving it. They would share their ideas with the public and put it into action. "We're the ones who make the culture of the town," "We are responsible for creating the culture by being involved," -these were the fundamental concepts they followed whilst interacting with the community. For example, the naughty-looking skaters would be going around the town, through the narrowest and most lonely streets, looking at the desolated areas and seeing the different realities the town holds. They then convey the reality to the mayor or the society through pictures, art, and words. Artists would use satire and and irony in their works to uniquely convey the issues that the city holds. The city then, would acknowledge the fact that these youths were the major ones who helped structure the community and build the culture. First of all, I was amazed at the way the community functioned there. Those around me would say how they were "responsible for building the culture of this town" and how "by getting involved, we are making history." I was shaken by them, and also started to wonder what kind of life I had been leading. Have any of you ever had these thoughts? Have you ever been aware that we are ALL responsible for creating your community, for creating a culture? Sadly, I hadn't...until I met them. I started to think about how it would be to live like them... without complaining or sharing any discontent. Until then, even if I had questions about the Japanese society, I felt powerless, that no matter what I said, things wouldn't change. However, if I had the same mentality as those youths, I'd have felt much more responsibility for every word I spoke and action I took. Since I now knew about such way of life, I felt I had to put it into action. However, I knew that Canada and Japan were way too different, so I decided on three things upon making this lifestyle happen. First, to do what I can do. Second, to not be help up on geographical issues, and thirdly to continue to have passion and hope. I keep telling myself these three rules even now. First of all, if you do what you can do, then you make use of your best qualities, to make the best use of yourself. You won't be craving for what you don't have, but use what you have, whether it be your social network or your experiences, and make that an asset. I told myself to trust my own abilities to make things happen. The second rule is to take action wherever you are. Whether it be Japan, Canada or anywhere, what I had seen was how people acted. They did not stop taking action just because they were living in a rural area. If one cannot do it, then it is because of one's powerlessness. If you have a vision in your mind, you can create that environment. What matters is what and how you do it. Lastly, I feel that passion and hope can be strong motivations for taking action. Seeing those youths in Vancouver moved and influenced me a lot. They gave me hope and made me feel that it was important to have such feelings if I want to make a difference. So in 2006, I decided to put into action what I had learned in Canada. I built an art gallery space for a group called "Birdo Flugas" Art-Culture Group, in my hometown, Shiogama city. From here, I wanted to spread the "new" way of life. First, I wanted to dig out the fun moments, inspirational moments in my town so I invited artists from all over Japan and abroad to the gallery and asked them to share their values. I am Japanese, so there was a limit to how much I could convey through words. So, by inviting those who inspired me in Canada, and having them meet the locals here, I wanted them to be as inspired as I was in Canada. It was a pleasure to hear all the global artists say, "I'm coming to Shiogama," "I had a show in Shiogama," or " I like Shiogama." It made me feel that I was directly connected with the world when I heard them say my small town's name. By doing such activities, I also wanted to spread to my generation, the joy in creating an environment together. Slowly, different artists who agreed with my ideas and people from the community began to get together at the gallery space. As I interacted and shared many ideas with them, I recognized many talents. Some artists were great at working with children and nurturing their talent. Some were excellent communicators who improved communications within closed communities. Seeing this, I felt the urge to use those talents for the society. So, with those artists in Miyagi, we began working with different communities. This is just one sample of what we came up with when working together. This is a website that introduces charm and appeal of the town. I'm sure there are many websites that promote a city, but what is unique here is that this website shows what the youths of the community see and experience there. They bring out the issues and developments needed for the community to discuss together. When I look back, the artists I met in Vancouver always had in mind that they're creating culture. The people I work with here won't say it aloud but I know they believe they are shaping their community and making a difference. So, what I had seen and experienced abroad and what I do no with fellow members, is finally starting to come together, as an on-going process. By making the website, we could communicate better and tell others what we could do to help. For example, people might ask for our ideas for new products, or they might ask our help in creating a map of the town, etc. People started to understand how we could help and now we are working together to create a better community. In a small city like Shiogama, each individual is a precious resource. So even the smallest action is very important. And in order for everyone to fully understand how important their roles are in shaping their community, they need to be aware that their involvement and action make a difference in their community This is what we did after 3.11. Thinking back, the activities we did after the catastrophe really showed how each person felt about their community. We got calls from teachers telling us how distressed the children were. So we visited many kindergartens and schools, So we visited many kindergartens and schools, holding workshops and movie screenings. Or, if people requested for a new name plate at their temporary housings, or new home shrines, we would run to make it. By doing so, we were able to become aware of our roles, our views on the community. We also had connections outside the community, and helped volunteer organisations connect with those who needed help. These activities may not be considered so special, but what I want to emphasise is the frame of mind one is in. How much involvement there is. What I value is people's awareness and what drives them to be involved in the community. What I have always looked at is how people should be. Whether it be through art, I always focused on people, their interaction, and way of life. It's been several years since the gallery space opened. but we're already working together to influence and inspire each other to take action. What I saw in Vancouver when I was a student, the awareness of "Creating a Society" which youth held, is what inspired me to change, to start something new in my town. I wanted to make my experience in Vancouver a reality, so I began by communicating through the "Birdo Flugas." Many people started to get together and communicate. Now, we're all slowly making a difference in the community. If any of you happen to have any ideas, don't let it slip by thinking that you're powerless, or don't want to get involved. That small awareness is very precious. I want people to put that into action and make it a reality. That is because, I feel each individual is very important when it comes to creating a society. Thank you.