Kihako Narisawa

Reclaiming the Self

Layer(s)

A physical exploration of how identity is curated and performed

Kihako Narisawa

Kihako Narisawa is a choreographer, performer, and dancer whose interdisciplinary work blends text, sound, video, installation, and movement.

Her project layer(s) explores how identity is curated and performed through presence and visibility.

Investigating the “armour” individuals don to express or protect the Self, the piece reveals the complex, layered nature of identity.

Kihako Narisawa, layer(s). Photo by Camille Blake

Inspired by the image strategies of Oliviero Toscani’s iconic Benetton campaigns, layer(s) asks: What is diversity?

Narisawa challenges us to reflect on how we perceive others, questioning binaries of inclusion and authenticity, while offering a nuanced, critical lens on representation.

In late November, Kihako Narisawa and her mentor, Hussein Chalayan, will convene at Gropius Bau for a condensed work-stay to further develop Narisawa’s project Layer(s). They will host a public event as part of the exhibition venue’s Spätschicht program. 

The final production of layer(s) will be unveiled at the Forecast Festival, in March 2026. 

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Watch Kihako Narisawa discuss her project. Video by Stephan Talneau.