…imagine
a magical space
a journey
to our inner tissue
to get in touch
and reconnect
a reflection
about what possibly exists
even if we are not aware of it…

In exploring and examining classic mythological, religious and cultural narratives of the female form—such as that of shamans and witches—social attitudes are heavily burdened with fear, due to the notions of female domination or female eroticism exceeding cultural standards. Between the 15th and 18th centuries, the practice of genocide and outcasting witches was woven into the social norm of the Western world and this prejudice towards women has shaped the reality today. In Shinto religion, women once occupied important roles and positions like as a priestess or shamans, however slowly they were outcast and their powers became limited. Artist Ewelina Skowronska re-evaluates these figures of witches and shamans, from being seen as a disruption to the old and well-known order, to symbols of liberated women and today’s feminist icons.

Voices From The Inside draws from these female narratives and centers on the idea that both nature and our bodies are oriented towards finding a balance and building a collective thinking, we just need to tune in to those voices. The body is not just something out there—it is not a resource or commodity. It is our own materiality, a carrier of spiritual, sexual, and cultural energy. The story comes from the body.

For the exhibition Ewelina Skowronska will transform THE KNOT’s gallery into an imaginative magical space, a kind of gates to a temple. This exhibition is site specific, and will mark the first time Ewelina has created work in this way. It’s up to you, the viewer, to experience the time and space for yourself.

For more about the exhibition, keep an eye out on social media or of course visit the hotel anytime from May 28!

About the Artist
Born in Poland, Skowronska currently lives and works in Tokyo. The female body is at the forefront of her prints and ceramic sculptures, in which she explores issues connected with gender, identity, sexuality, and the body. Born and raised in Catholic Poland, Ewelina has lived in London and Denmark and says, “I feel the excess of different identities, expectations, histories, cultures, belonging and separation. On the one hand, the body is deeply ingrained with meanings and constraints, but on the other hand, as human beings, we have our own experiences of living within; we see the world from the inside and the outside at the same time.” In her practice she uses mostly printmaking and ceramics, however for THE KNOT she will use experimental airbrush techniques. Ewelina’s work has been exhibited many times in Japan, as well as internationally. In 2017, she was awarded the Print Prize by ST Bridge Foundation. Her prints can be found in the collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London; Spiral Wacoal Art Foundation, Tokyo, and Guanlan Printmaking Museum in China.