Performance Painting: A Dialogue Between Art and the Environment
Performance painting is a deeply personal form of creative expression for me. My work began with a series I call “extended paintings,” a project that has evolved over many years. I use insects native to different countries as my subjects—flies in the UK, ants in Japan, and bees in Germany. By painting them on an extended canvas, I’m not just creating art; I’m engaging in a vital dialogue about the natural world and its connection to each specific country.
What began as an instinctive choice revealed a powerful truth: each of these insects is an endangered species. This discovery has profoundly shaped my artistic mission. The non-woven protective suit I wear during these performances acts as a symbolic layer. It’s reminiscent of the gear used to combat contamination at the Fukushima nuclear plant and during the COVID-19 pandemic, visually linking my environmental art to broader themes of protection and vulnerability.
My work serves as a continuous exploration of the relationship between art and the environment. While I never expected the subjects of my work to become a focal point for conservation, they have become a crucial artistic medium through which I can express my deep concern for the planet. I am dedicated to using performance art to continue raising awareness and fostering a greater environmental consciousness.
London 2002 @ Chelsea College of Art and Design
At my second-year show, I began my project by painting a fly inside a white, framed box. This idea was inspired by seeing flies in famous art installations, such as Damien Hirst’s A Hundred Years (1990s) and the Portrait of a Woman of the Hofer Family by a Swabian artist (1940s).
Osaka 2009 @ Kadoma Art Event
I participated in an art event held in a deserted shopping street in northern Osaka. For this project, I spent a week drawing ants, one by one. The choice was a nod to the Japanese people, who are often described as being as hardworking as ants. I enjoyed the experience of chatting with local kids and neighbours in the Kadoma shopping district.
Berlin 2010 @ To-Be | Tokyo-Berlin: Communication Art Exhibition
At the Freies Museum Berlin, I drew bees one at a time, as I felt they were a symbolic insect of Germany. The exhibition, To-Be | Tokyo-Berlin, featured 28 artists from Japan and Germany who were exploring common ground in the “Being and Becoming” of both cultures.
https://www.kunstfaktor.de/to-be/2010/downloads/to-be_pressreleases.html
https://culture360.asef.org/news-events/tokyo-berlin-communication-art-exhibition
Kyoto 2013 @ Art Space Niji
For six days at the art gallery, I painted butterflies one by one. It was a great joy because of their different colours and shapes! I also enjoyed chatting with the tourists who came to watch while I painted.
Vancouver 2015 @ A House Garden
I spent three days in my sister’s garden painting gold beetles. I chose them because Canada has over 9,000 species of beetles. Neighbours would often come to watch and chat with me while I worked.
Vietnam 2016 @ Hanoi Botanical Garden
With help from a friend who worked for JICA, I was able to paint dragonflies one by one. Despite the very hot weather, many children came to watch. Dragonflies are considered a symbol of good luck in Vietnam.
Folkestone 2017 @ The Metropole Gallery, UK
For the opening of the exhibition Leaving Language, I performed my piece, “Painting Day By Day In The Anthropocene.” This time, I painted British butterflies on tracing paper. The exhibition was organised by Waugh Office.
https://www.waughoffice.com/copy-of-tamaki-kawaguchi-leaving-l
Iceland 2018 @ Heima Artist in Residency
From April to July 2018, I spent three months in Seyðisfjörður, Iceland. The experience gave me a strange and powerful feeling—as if I were both grounded on Earth and closer to space than ever before. The unique light and air made it feel as though I could easily connect with extraterrestrial beings. I found the people I met in Iceland to be incredibly friendly, and the entire experience felt primal, awakening a deep, almost ancient sensation within me.
https://www.h-e-i-m-a.com/
Leipzig 2018 @ PILOTENKUECHE
My performance in Leipzig was unlike any other. In the ruins of a devastated building, the space itself felt like an empty canvas waiting to be filled. Here, there was no vinyl or tracing paper—only the pure, uninhibited act of performance.
https://www.pilotenkueche.net/
Over the years, this project has been made possible thanks to the support of my friends, family, and fellow artists. Thank you for inviting me to your exhibitions and for giving me the courage to perform in sometimes remote and challenging places.
Video footage