BareBones 2020 · OFFERINGS: Artists Respond to the Mourning, Grieving and Fires on Lake Street
Masanari Kawahara
8 min. 46 sec. (Movement for Healing)
8 min. 46 sec. (Movement for Healing) was a solo butoh movement performed by Masanari Kawahara and with soundscape recorded by Sho Nikaido.
Masanari’s works are moving towards meditation, prayer and for healing, at this time of our life since the spring of 2020. They center around Butoh, a movement resonating with the energy inside of the artist (connecting with his ancestors) and around the environment. As an artist he asks,
“How can I use my artistry for healing? How best can I serve my artistry and my practice for the process of healing?”
In the recent OFFERINGS: BareBones 2020 Live Pop-ups, Masa had performed the work in multiple locations on different days.
About the Artist
Masanari Kawahara is a performer, educator, and Butoh practitioner who incorporates puppetry, mask, and movement into his work. Recent works include Brown Paper by Masanari Kawahara, Speechless by The Moving Company, The Oldest Boy by Jungle Theater, and The Story of Crow Boy with In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre. Masanari is currently a resident teaching artist at Pillsbury House + Theatre and teaching artist for Upstream Arts, working with daycare to elders. He is a Playwrights’ Center McKnight Theater Artist Fellow (2010/2011 and 2018/2019).