ある美術館に行った際、手にペンとメモ帳を持って展示会場に入ろうとすると、「ペンの持ち込みはできません」と言われました。その代わりに、鉛筆を貸してくれるとのことでした。書くこと自体が禁止されているわけではないと気づき、私は困惑しました。なぜペンは禁止され、鉛筆は許されるのかを尋ねると、「ペンは作品を傷つける可能性があるから」とのことでした。どのようにしたらペンが作品を傷つけるのでしょうか?
この出来事をきっかけに制作したのが、Pen/dantです。 筆記具と装飾品が、それぞれの機能を保ちながら一つのものとして存在する時、こ れはどのように認識され、定義されるのでしょうか?
後日、私はこのPen/dant を身につけて美術館を再訪しました。すると、すんなりと 展示会場に入ることができたのです。 それはお気に入りのペンと一緒に展示会場に入れなかった私の、小さなリベンジが 成功した瞬間でした。
When I visited a museum, I was holding a pen and a notebook and was about to enter the exhibition space when I was told, 'Pens are not allowed in the exhibition space.' Instead, they offered me a pencil that the museum provided. Once I realised that writing itself wasn't prohibited, I was confused. When I asked why pens were banned but pencils were allowed, I was told, 'Because pens could damage the artworks.' In what way could pens damage works of art?
This incident led to the creation of the Pen/dant. When a writing instrument and a piece of jewellery both retain their individual functions and yet exist as one, how are they recognised and defined?
Later, I visited the museum again, wearing the Pen/dant. This time, I was allowed to enter the exhibition space without any issues. It was a small but satisfying victory — the moment I was able to enter the exhibition with my favourite pen, something I hadn’t been allowed to do before.
Pen/dant, 2017. Pen, brass, rope. Photo by Ayako Nishibori
Mika Yamakoshi
Jewellery artist & hairdresser
WORKS:
Three Kinds of It, 2025
Never Want to Do This Again, 2025
Painting, 2025
The Exchange Example, 2024
Pieces, 2023
Object Lesson, 2022
Please Do Not Touch, 2017
A Consideration of the Rule, 2017
Stories of Absence, 2017
Pen/dant, 2017
Subjective Time Measurement, 2017
Take It With You —Slight Mercy—, 2015
EXHIBITIONS:
Artists' Fair Kyoto, Kyoto, JP, 2025
Pieces, SOOT, Tokyo, JP, 2023
Object Lesson, necoma, Tokyo, JP, 2022
Object Lesson, C7C gallery, Nagoya, JP, 2021
Artists' Fair Kyoto, Kyoto, JP, 2021
Object Lesson, Kamome Books, Tokyo, JP, 2020
Re-importation, Tokyo, JP, 2017
RESIDENCY:
TRACTOR, D’CLINIC Studios, HU, 2018
PUBLICATION:
Press, 2019
EDUCATION:
Jewellery Department, Gerrit Rietveld Academie, Amsterdam, NL, 2017
Foundation Course, Central Saint Martins, London, UK, 2014
Nippon Beauty Academy, Tokyo, JP, 2006
BORN:
Tokyo, JP
CONTACT:
contact@mikyam.com
@_mikyam_