Mission Statement
“The Circle—International Artist Exhibition since 2004”
Minatsu Ariga
In the summer of 2004 I opened the first art exhibition called “The Circle.”
“The Circle” has been formed to create a community of culturally diverse artists that will express and pass on the message of happiness, peace and harmony. Just like the ripple in a pond grows outward from the center, “The Circle” will grow to include people from allover the world exceeding every border.
In art, there is power to heal people. I have experienced it in various scenarios.
I came to the United States because I wanted to experience the relationship between art and therapy by studying the theory and becoming officially certified in this area. I am working toward this right now. My life has changed a lot since I came to the United States and it continues to change. Actually, I am still on this journey, but I already have had many experiences that I did not expect or desire in the United State. I think that I became a very emotional person after I came to America. For example, being glad, being happy, mortified, having regret and being sad, are experiences that one by one caused a reaction like ringing a bell for my every cell in my body. I think it is seems more human.
I cried much more often. Even if I am glad, sometimes the emotion is so strong, tears fall.
I could not discover that part of myself when I was in Japan.
I am convinced, "Everyone has a deep and honorable creative ability". Many people have not come to know only the usage of the ability yet. Therefore, a lot of people do not know the ability is very useful for themselves and also for others. I have lived in an environment with art since I was child. Art always helps me. There were some big walls in my life and I was able to survive because art was beside me always, and in the future will also be.
I have met many wonderful people in the United States. Though I cannot speak English well I am able to meet a lot of breathtaking friends and magnificent professors, because I have art! It is not an exaggeration to say so. Sometimes my art works speaks for my feelings to the other person much more accurately than I can express with words. These experiences make me happy and surprised.
Art can connect people all over the world exceeding every border. Unfortunately, there are some places that are battlefields in the world right now. People are mysterious and how they meet is also a mystery. If we meet in the battlefield, we might fight each other, but if we meet as friends in the art studio we could become good friends and can exchange opinions with each other. We can share the story of peace; this can be done through art. I think that this is connected with a big thing, though it looks small. I strongly believe we should remember every genuine start comes from very tiny beginnings.
Something to heal, something to be healed, something to believe, something to be believed, to love, and to be loved.
The thing that I hope to do through this exhibition is that we want to help somebody to find a small chance at this new beginning. If you are happy, art might reflect the happiness even more. And if you have anger or sadness, then art can help you work through these emotions as well. Through this exhibit, I hope to spark many tiny beginnings toward healing by connecting artists from around the world into the “Circle”.