Maya Mima

Statement

Maya Mima, born in Kyoto in 1996 and raised in Pondicherry, India, graduated in 2022 with a degree in History of Art from Kala Bhavana, Visva Bharati University in Santiniketan, and completed a Master’s in Textile Arts from the Department of Crafts at Kyoto City University of Arts in 2025. Based in Kyoto, their artistic practice explores the theme of identity and belonging, shaped by their mixed Japanese and Indian heritage. Using old fabrics, natural dyes made from locally foraged plants, and embroidery, they create works that trace personal and communal histories. Their practice integrates research, local knowledge, and traditional craft to shape object and spaces where people and stories can gather, with a particular interest in how textile-based installations can foster connection and dialogue across cultural boundaries. Maya's work has been exhibited notably in the Kochi Students’ Biennale 2022–23, the 2023 Inter-University Dyeing and Weaving Exchange Exhibition, and the Kyoto Prefecture Emerging Artists Selection Exhibition 2024.