Mafune Gonjo

Mafune Gonjo

Mafune Gonjo was born 1984 in Soma, in the Fukushima prefecture, Japan. She studied glass art at Tama Art University, graduating in 2008. She then moved to Sweden to complete her master’s degree at Konstfack (University College of Art, Craft and Design). Since then she has been working with glass and other mediums like printing, drawing and sculpture. She has exhibited in Sweden as well as other European countries. During her residency, Maufune intends to continue her series of glass dresses. “I was 23 and 25 years old when I created my former glass dresses and those works reflected my fragility, rashness and young energy. Since then I have experienced several things: the destruction of my hometown by tsunami, some meetings and partings, the struggle to live/create in foreign country. I’m very curious which type of glass dress I picture and realize now, how it reflects my time and what it tells to the viewer. Working in new country and meeting new people always open broader sight in me and give a fresh motivation for creating”.