MEGUMIEDA
Re-Framing 8:15
Exploring
Memory,
Time, and the
Echoes of
the Past.
The original 8:15 created in 2003
Re-Framing 8:15 is an interdisciplinary dance project that reinterprets my 2003 work 8:15, originally inspired by my visit to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. As the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II approaches in 2025, this new piece revisits 8:15 as a historical document, exploring the evolving nature of war, trauma, and memory through a contemporary lens.
Rather than a revival, Re-Framing 8:15 deconstructs and reimagines the original, integrating new choreography, spoken word, archival footage, and multimedia to create a layered experience. It examines how historical trauma is inherited and reinterpreted, questioning how our relationship with the past shifts over time.
The Unseen Woman
From Symbol to Embodiment: Giving Voice to the Silenced
At its core, this work transforms the "unseen woman" from the original piece—previously symbolized by red shoes—into a visible, embodied presence performed by myself. Through this solo, I explore the overlooked impact of war on women, making her story central to the themes of trauma, memory, and resilience.
A Pandemic Reflection – Rediscovering 8:15 Through Multimedia
During the COVID-19 era in 2021, I created a multimedia program directed by New York-based artist Yoshiko Chuma. In this video, I played a pseudo-producer for a TV show and presented an excerpt from the 8:15 documentary for the first time in 20 years. I plan to adapt this for the stage in Re-Framing 8:15, integrating its themes into the new work’s conceptual framework.
This is the opening sequence from the live stream on February 6th, 2021.
Merging Archival
Footage, Live Video,
and Performance
Central to the work, half of the performance will feature solo pieces by Megumi, reflecting her personal artistic journey, while the other half will consist of duets in collaboration with local artists, blending global themes with regional context and fostering cultural exchange.
Bridging Movements – Where Personal Expression Meets Cultural Exchange
Questioning My Role as an Artist
I am conflicted as I work on this project. As someone who has never experienced war firsthand, I question my right or ability to create a piece on such a profound theme.
I ask myself,
"Why am I dancing?"
"Why am I making dance works?"
Twenty years ago, dance was the only technique I had to express myself, but now I look back at that version of myself with a sense of self-deprecation. There’s a part of me that jokes about my own ignorance and acknowledges the absurdity of trying to capture the complexity of war through dance.
Yet, perhaps this self-doubt is exactly what I am trying to confront and sublimate through Re-Framing 8:15.
In today’s world, where war and conflict still persist despite our technological and societal advancements, it is vital to question why humanity continues to repeat cycles of violence. This project is driven by the question of why wars occur in every era, even in the face of global awareness. As an artist, I often feel helpless witnessing these conflicts through the media, but I continue to create dance as a way to share deeply personal experiences and use emotion to provide a space for reflection and understanding.