Interview: Makoto Fujimura

“You can walk on water if you are painting it.”  Forefront leaders Nate Mancini and Rich Christman had the opportunity to speak with renowned artist Makoto Fujimura about the intersection of art and faith. In this far-reaching conversation, they talk about Mako’s routines & practices, his slow process of creation, how artists can bring God’s abundance to a world of scarcity, and ultimately, how Christ is deeply present in our experiences of darkness & trauma.  As a special bonus, we conclude with some audience questions from artists like singer/songwriter Sandra McCracken and tap dancer Andrew Nemr. Makoto Fujimura (b. 1960, Boston) is a leading contemporary artist whose process driven, refractive “slow art” has been described by David Brooks of New York Times as “a small rebellion against the quickening of time”.  Fujimura’s art has been featured widely in galleries and museums around the world, and is collected by notable collections including The Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo, The Huntington Library as well as Tikotin Museum in Israel.  Fujimura is also an arts advocate, writer, and speaker who is recognized worldwide as a cultural influencer. A Presidential appointee to the National Council on the Arts from 2003-2009, Fujimura served as an international advocate for the arts, speaking with decision makers and advising governmental policies on the arts. Fujimura founded the International Arts Movement in 1992, now IAMCultureCare, which oversees the Fujimura Institute. Most recently, he co-founded the Kintsugi Academy. We are honored to share this special interview.