Review: Chisato Minamimura, Mark of A Woman – “a masterclass in physical awareness”

Chisato Minamimura: Mark of A Woman is a valuable work that takes the observer to many different places, but also has long periods where aspects feel a little unclear.

Minamimura is looking at “undertold relationships between women and tattooing cultures”, and she’s definitely succeeding in relation to subject matter.

Minamimura is a Deaf performance artist, choreographer and BSL (British Sign Language) art guide, and uses a multimedia approach in the production of Mark of A Woman.

These include sign language, narration, digital animation, kinetic projection, videography, lighting design, music/soundscape scores, Woojer™ technology and Visual Vernacular. The modes of communication feel endless, but never overwhelming in the moment. That’s a skill in itself – finding balance within such a busy framework.

Visual Vernacular is “the choreographed and poetic form of sign language” and Woojer™ technology is a device that allows the wearer to have a heightened sensory performance experience through vibration.

Considering all the above, I still felt lost at certain points. Minamimura executed extended segments of what I would describe as mime to communicate the factual and narrative components of the work’s subject. The fact they were performed without narration made the understanding of the content tricky, sometimes verging on the impossible.

The above conundrum didn’t equate to boredom though, as Minamimura is a very watchable mover. Vivid facial expressions, movement simultaneously contained and generous, a palpable sense of grounding, and a natural connection to her audience means there’s always something to hold onto even if one’s kind of missing the main gist.

Points of educational interest included an introduction to the world’s first female tattoo artist Maud Stevens Wagner and the hand markings (Hajichi) of the women of Okinawa, Japan. An additional moving section was the story of a breast cancer survivor (Sonia Zambakides), who after a double mastectomy covered her chest with tattoos in search of a new version of body confidence, beauty and power in the self.

Minamimura moved throughout the work, but three key phrases will stay with me. She enacted a ‘circle of life’ showing a pregnant woman giving birth, to a babe in arms, a toddler, adult to elderly person, and executed it all with fluidity and economic precision. The subject journey took us around the globe, and along the way Minamimura embodied birds using her hands and arms with delicate power, and the ocean through her whole body via spatial toing and froing with dynamic command. These moments were a masterclass in physical awareness.

The animation (Dan Chambers) was also arresting, and always in black and white, so one didn’t feel bombarded even if things were moving at great speed.

I’m glad I had this introduction to Minamimura’s work, as she’s clearly an artist who derives her content from exhaustive research, making the experience feel genuine and worthwhile without an inkling of ‘I’m holier-than-thou’ rhetoric… which isn’t always the case in the serious dance world.

Matthew Paluch Guest Author

Matthew Paluch was awarded a place at The Royal Ballet School in 1990 where he graduated in 1997. His first four years as a professional dancer were spent working with London City Ballet, Scottish Ballet, K-Ballet and English National Ballet, becoming a full-time member of ENB until leaving in 2006.

Matthew graduated from the Royal Academy of Dance, Professional Dancers’ Teaching Diploma in 2007, and was formerly on faculty at The Royal Ballet School. He completed his Masters in Ballet Studies at Roehampton University in 2011, has been a freelance writer since 2010 and currently works in the Law Sector.

He is a member of the Dance Section of The Critics’ Circle.