Ami Kitajima

          Ami Kitajima was born in Japan and grew up in Okinawa until the age of 15. She later studied abroad in Australia, which sparked her interest in art and literature, and earned an IB diploma in high school. She then decided to pursue her education at university with a major in art. However, she could not miss the ever-changing Japanese culture that became evident every time she went abroad, and she began to engage in a mixture of traditional and modern artwork, applying traditional Japanese styles.  Her goal is to travel around the world to experience every culture firsthand, and to create works based on the theme of her changing self and her unchanging self. Behind the creation of her works, she is motivated by critical thinking, strong conviction not to be carried away, and respect for her homeland. However, it is by no means an aversion to other cultures and customs. Rather, she accepts their good qualities as something that Japan does not have and admires them daily. Whenever she recognizes such differences, she can see her home country in a new light. She would like to bring this vivid sensation to Japan. She wants to show that our culture and customs are so unique, so delicate, and so beautiful.