Mariko Mori is one of Japan’s most visionary contemporary artists, working across sculpture, digital media and site-specific installation. Her work fuses technology, spirituality and traditional Japanese motifs to create work that probes — among other topics — consciousness, identity and humanity’s connection to the universe.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Mariko Mori Interview
What does the word “icon” mean to you?
In history, figures such as Kūkai, Sen no Rikyū and Ryōkan. Each of them pursued a profound spirituality that transcends time and continues to inspire us today.
What is the most memorable piece of advice you’ve ever received?
“Believe in yourself.” These words have echoed within me in times of doubt, giving me strength and guidance.
How do you overcome creative block?
I attune myself to nature and allow my heart to be set free. In that openness, the inner current begins to flow again, leading me toward new creation.
What do you think the world needs more of today?
Oneness — and love. They are the fundamental forces that connect people, nature and all living beings.
What’s something unusual or distinctive that always finds its way into your work?
I believe my work always contains a gaze directed toward the future.
Who do you admire or draw inspiration from, and why?
My parents. Both dedicated their lives to academia — my mother committed wholeheartedly to her research, and my late father by venturing across diverse fields and showing me a multifaceted way of seeing the world. Their example gave me the strength to walk my own path.
What advice would you like to give the younger generation?
The future you envision will one day become reality. Please dream greatly, and nurture those dreams without fear.
If you weren’t doing your current work, what do you think you would be doing instead?
I cannot imagine living in any other way than I do now.
What have you been deeply immersed in recently?
Contemplating and tracing the elegant calligraphy of the Heian period. I center my spirit and encounter an eternal serenity.
What would your teenage self say if she could see you now?
She would smile and say, “I’m glad you realized your dreams and found happiness.”
Is there a phrase or quotation you often return to?
From John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s “Imagine”: “Imagine all the people / Livin’ life in peace”
To envision a world where everyone lives in peace — that very act of imagination is, I believe, the light that illuminates the path to our collective future.
Updated On October 6, 2025
