I stopped trying to look bigger. What Miyuto Morita learned from his younger brother with Down Syndrome [Part 2]
"HERALBONY & PEOPLE" is a series where we interview people who support HERALBONY. In this series, we interview people from all walks of life who regularly resonate with HERALBONY's activities and business.
This time, we have Morita Miyuto, who is an artist who expresses himself through music and art, as well as serving as the director of " FLATLAND ." In the second part, he talks about the background to how he arrived at the "flat" stance that he now adheres to as the core of his way of life. Morita, who used to believe that stepping up to reach higher heights was "right," has arrived at what is truly important in life through his life with his younger brother who has Down's syndrome.
We continue our conversation from the first half with Morita, who is wearing a summery style set consisting of an open-collar shirt and relaxed shorts by author Yamane Takafumi.
>> Click here for the first part: Overcoming the "fear" of revealing yourself and living a "heart-first" lifestyle as pursued by Miyu Morita [Part 1]
*Photo background work: Mizukami Shiraku "Title Unknown"
I lived with the mindset of "protecting my younger brother"
>> Items worn by Morita: Open collar shirt (title unknown) / Relaxed shorts (title unknown)
---If you take a look at FLATLAND's concept page, it starts with an explanation of "flat." "Flat" is my catchphrase, and it's something I learned from my younger brother, who is naturally kind to everyone." Could you tell us about the background to this stance that you hold so dear?
Morita: When I was five years old, my younger brother was born with Down Syndrome. We talked it over as a family and decided to put my younger brother first in life. Of course, it wasn't always that simple. Living in society, there were many challenges we faced, including the difference in the speed at which we grew compared to those around us. It was a daily routine for us to discuss these issues as a family. As I grew older through elementary and middle school, I began to become aware of the difference between disabled and able-bodied people, and I experienced bullying, and all sorts of other things happened naturally.
I grew up with the mindset of "I want to protect my younger brother," but as I grew older and had the opportunity to talk to a variety of people, my way of thinking began to change. There are many able-bodied people who are troubled or in trouble. On the other hand, there are also people with disabilities who demonstrate incredible talent in the art world. It's just that humans have categorized people. I began to think that I wanted to treat people more equally, without putting them in boxes. That led to the name FLATLAND.
I've never thought of my younger brother's Down syndrome as anything special. To borrow a phrase from my family, I think he's "just a slacker hiding behind the guise of having Down syndrome" (laughs). But he's really kind to everyone. It's not just that it's a good thing, it's like "being kind is a given." I respect him for that, and he has influenced me in many ways.
Life tips I learned from my innocent and kind younger brother
>> Art Umbrella "Maple Snip Snip"
---I sense the same vibe from Heralbony's contracted artists. No matter when, where, or what time, any of the employees show up, they're always warmly welcomed.
Morita: I've lived my life with the thought that I have to step up. So when I was in a desperate situation, I think that I might have ended up snapping at the people around me. Rather than having that kind of narrow-mindedness, I would rather have the kindness of my younger brother. I'm also attracted to his straightforward attitude towards what he loves, regardless of profit or loss, and it's a great way to learn from him.
I felt the same thing when I visited Yamanami Studio. All the artists were completely different characters. Some worked hard, while others loved comedians and spoke passionately about their passions. They were all full of individuality. My brother and the others were loyal to what they loved. That really struck me. When you push forward with the determination to "step up," there are times when your sense of mission and justice becomes stronger than the feeling that "I love it." That self-imposed sense of mission can sometimes cause you to lack imagination and consideration for others. I think doing what you love will last the longest, and you can interact with others purely, without regard for your own ego.
Another hint I wanted to share about how to live is "not exaggerating." When I'm communicating something to someone, I try to be careful not to seem more exaggerated than I really am. Of course, there are situations where it's important to be on edge. However, after spending nearly 15 years of my life trying to make myself look bigger, I decided it was time to stop living an exaggerated life.
Family is definitely at the core of who I am
---Is there anything you've noticed by adopting a more objective perspective?
Morita: Other people might think that my current activities are slowing down my career. But I think that's fine. I can honestly say now that I'm glad that my life has led me to expressing my heart using various tools. I wouldn't have gotten to this point without my younger brother. My family is definitely at the core of who I am today.
I used to love the movie "The Incredibles." The family structure is exactly the same, and all the characters even have similar silhouettes (laughs). I thought to myself, "This is a story about my family." Maybe it was thanks to Pixar that I was able to maintain that mindset of "family unity" (laughs).
Matsuda of HERALBONY also owes his current activities to his older brother. As someone with family in the same situation, I think it's amazing. You can really feel his passion for finding and spreading all kinds of unique things. I feel that from each artist, but I also really feel the passion from Matsuda and the others, and it inspires me.
Even when I write songs or draw pictures, I often end up satisfied once I've finished them. I feel a strong desire to stay focused, so I don't end up spreading what I've created. Once it's finished, I'm satisfied and just go to bed (laughs). I respect HERALBONY's drive and would like to learn from them.
Collaboration with a welfare workshop started from the idea of "mottainai" (waste not want)
---Thank you very much. Morita-san, you are also continuing to take on new challenges, such as creating things together with a welfare workshop.
Morita: Our work with the welfare workshop wasn't started with the desire to spread the word, but rather it was something that grew naturally. When I started making clothes, I thought it was a waste that even though I was using good fabric, I always ended up with leftover fabric. So I thought it would be interesting to collect the leftover fabric and make patchwork items, and that's how it all started.
However, patchwork is a time-consuming process, and there aren't many factories that will undertake it. So, I approached a welfare workshop in my hometown of Suginami Ward, hoping for a chance. It was my first time doing patchwork, but I was happy when I heard that the people at the workshop were willing to give it a try.
When I actually saw it, it was truly amazing. A person with partial paralysis sewed nearly 10 meters of fabric all by themselves using only their left hand. I was overwhelmed by their concentration, the way they switched on and off, and the sheer power they displayed when they found something they were passionate about.
This collaboration can be tiring if you start to feel a sense of mission, and I don't think it will last if you're doing something that goes against your heart. That's why I don't want to expand it, and in fact, because our technical skills are so high, I'd rather keep it a secret (laughs). I was moved by the realization that there is a wonderful world out there.
I want to create a level playing field where people can freely express themselves beyond the bounds of race and disability.
---The things that were born naturally without any effort are now showing you a new perspective.
Morita: Last year, when I held a solo exhibition of abstract paintings, one of the viewers commented, "I saw this color." This was a different perspective from my own, so I felt like I was able to peer into that person's thoughts and heart through my work. This is an episode unique to abstract painting, but I thought it was wonderful because it was such a simple form of communication, where we exchange opinions with each other.
Up until now, I have mostly worked in the entertainment world, presenting my work as shows, but from now on, I would like to pursue the possibility of expressing my own feelings at FLATLAND.
---Is there anything you would like to challenge with FLATLAND in the future?
Morita: Speaking of things that have been decided so far, we are currently preparing to hold an exhibition at the end of the year in collaboration with Hiyori-chan ( Hiyori Yoshida ), an artist with Down syndrome from Studio Yamanami. In addition to exhibiting paintings, we are also thinking about doing live painting. We also think it would be interesting to connect art and music and create a space where people can enjoy both.
One day, at FLATLAND, I would like to create a space where all kinds of people can express themselves freely. I want to provide opportunities for people from a variety of genres to express themselves freely. I would like to continue to expand possibilities in many directions and make the boundaries of genre seamless. I believe that when people interact with each other, if they can connect as individuals, beyond preconceived notions such as race or disability, new and more interesting things will be born.
Items worn by Miyuto Morita / Artist introduction
Takafumi Yamane, an artist who works at Yamanami Kobo, which Morita also visited, creates art using stamps. Using stamps made from a variety of materials, such as rolled-up cardboard, paper cups, and rubber stamps, he chooses his favorite color and carefully stamps each one with precision.
>> Click here for a list of Yamane Takafumi's works and production videos
This set-up style, which combines a unisex open-collar shirt with a relaxed feel and relaxed pants available in two sizes, is a relaxed holiday style that is perfect for this time of year.
>> Open collar shirt "Title Unknown"
>> Relaxed shorts "Title Unknown"
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