Artist Marine One: "A Humorous Reexamination of the Imbalances of Art History"
The society we live in is shaped by countless invisible codes. Art history has long produced a wide range of images of women, reflecting the conditions of each era. Yet how might we re-examine the image of ‘masculinity,’which is likewise embedded with social codes?
Born in Japan and educated internationally, artist Marine One wraps the political theme of “toxic masculinity” in plush, toy-like textiles and humour. In this interview, we explore her attempt to challenge and overturn the unconsciously embedded representations of masculinity within society.
A transnational perspective on contemporary art
Mariné’s motivation to become an artist stems from her childhood love of manga, crafting, drawing, and the joy she found in making things with her own hands. At the age of eight, she visited the Hara Museum of Contemporary Art with her father and was deeply struck by Tabaimo’s exhibition Yoroyoron, which she describes as a formative encounter that shaped the “mysterious sensation” underlying her current practice.
“Ten years later, when I began studying art in earnest, I thought about the kind of work I wanted to make. I realised I wanted to create something that could evoke the same sense of shock and mystery I felt back then. That experience also made me understand how important it is for children to be exposed to art.”
Furthermore, Marine’s time at a national art university in Italy played a decisive role in shaping her artistic direction. Unlike the Japanese university system—where students are compelled to compete through entrance exams and the pressures of job hunting—the Italian system allowed far greater freedom. Alongside required courses such as lectures and painting techniques, students were free to explore areas that genuinely interested them.
Within this more relaxed environment, which encouraged students to reflect seriously on their inner selves, Marine became convinced that fine art was the medium that offered her the greatest freedom to pursue what she wished to express. Her interest in experiential art deepened further after encountering Lucio Fontana’s interactive installation at Hangar Bicocca in Milan.
She later completed a master’s degree at Central Saint Martins (CSM) in the UK. She says that being immersed in the diverse cultural and political backgrounds of London’s international art scene greatly helped her to broaden her perspective.
Masculinity reconsidered as a neutral object
Since her university days, Marine One has been interested in “prejudices we absorb without realising it” and in “the formation of unconscious self-awareness.” In particular, she has studied gender—especially feminism—because gender has played a significant role in shaping her thinking. She initially created works using the female body, but as she became aware that the female form has already been extensively represented throughout art history, her interest gradually shifted towards the depiction of the male body.
During her graduate studies, she explored the relationship between artwork and viewer, and as she began creating works that linked representations of the male body with the concept of the Male Gaze, her focus turned towards masculinity itself. She describes this as “an attempt to re-present the male body as a neutral object, in the same way the female body has long been treated.”
“So-called toxic masculinity places a burden not only on women but also on men themselves, yet it remains deeply rooted in society. I continue to create works that address this discomfort and contradiction—with a touch of humour.”
The characters in Marine’s works often appear in clothing not typically found in art, such as business suits symbolising salarymen, or male figures embodying forms of homosociality. Yet their clothing is intentionally kitsch, excessive, and even humorous. This approach reflects her desire to expose the cultural and structural codes surrounding masculinity by incorporating garments that symbolise social roles and stereotypes, and to express an “exaggerated masculinity” that has seldom been depicted in art.
Marine’s exaggerated images of men—constructed through the familiar, everyday material of fabric and embedded with social codes we unconsciously recognise—function as a humorous counterpoint to social structures constrained by stereotypes.
The “misalignment” and “discomfort” produced by textiles
Another distinctive feature of Marine’s work is her use of fabric and beads as primary materials. Speaking about why she chooses fabric, she explains:
“Except for the larger pieces, I don’t carefully calculate the patterns or anything like that, so there are many moments when the sewing doesn’t go as planned, or when a piece becomes three-dimensional and ends up taking on a different shape from what I had imagined. But these deviations become reference points for my next work, and they often lead in more interesting directions than I had originally expected. I enjoy that kind of flexibility.”
In addition to the softness of fabric, Marine intentionally uses bright colours and incorporates items or accessories that feel slightly out of place to create a sense of “slight shift.” This quality elevates her work into something that “isn’t just frightening, but somehow funny—strange yet compelling.” She adds, “I personally enjoy works that feel odd and humorous. In a way, I’m making the kind of work I would want to see myself.”
Furthermore, her choice of materials is closely connected to the themes of feminism and gender explored in her practice. “Textiles and beadwork have long been dismissed in art history as women’s handiwork or mere craft. I find it interesting—also in terms of historical context—to deliberately use these materials in works that address masculinity.”
Marine is currently based in London and is affiliated with The Bomb Factory Art Foundation. She says that the environment in which she works—sharing a space with fellow studio members, discussing each other’s work, and exchanging ideas—is extremely important for generating new perspectives and new ideas.
In December, she is planning to lead a workshop on creating “abstract stuffed animals” at The Bomb Factory Art Foundation’s Archway studio.
“The workshop involves making three-dimensional stuffed animals using only your own sketches as reference, without creating any patterns. It’s an opportunity to enjoy the process of figuring out how to transform something flat into a three-dimensional form, as well as experimenting with different combinations of materials.”
Marine’s work, which weaves together darkness and humour, can be seen as a soft yet incisive inquiry into the rigid social structures that shape our daily lives. We hope you will continue to follow her future activities.