Chisato Minamimura: Mark of A Woman

As A Mark of a Woman begins Chisato Minamimura, a deaf Japanese artist, takes on the challenge of telling the story of tattooed women through a blend of sign language, physical theatre, dance, and projections.

Chisato Minamimura: Mark of A Woman

Minamimura begins by exploring the origins of the word "tattoo," meaning "to mark," and this is her mark on the subject. While the premise is intriguing, the narrative progression feels disjointed, with historical segments not seamlessly flowing into one another.

Her expressive physicality makes the performance accessible, using movement to bring each chapter of the story to life. This is accompanied by animations, which tend to reiterate rather than enhance and compliment the performance. With more refinement, these projections could elevate the overall visual impact. At times, the interplay between performance and projection aligns well, but more often, they feel like parallel narratives, leading to a lack of cohesion.

Despite these shortcomings, the underlying message—replacing pain with beauty—is powerful. Although this historical account lacks a real personal connection, it remains a moving exploration of the subject.

Header Image Credit: Mark Pickthall

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Author

Monica Cox

Monica Cox Voice Reviewer

Monica is a theatre and film director, writer and dramaturg with a particular interest in queer and female stories. She has a degree in Spanish and Russian and a Masters in Theatremaking.

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