Soufu Honda's Reflections on their Ubah Rumah Residency
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Words and imagery by Soufu Honda, who lived on the island through the Ubah Rumah artist-in-residence program from 27 July to 24 August 2026. A calligraphy-based artist whose practice draws deep inspiration from nature, Soufu seeks to express the layered vitality and the passage of time inherent in natural phenomena, through the flow of the brush and the bleeding of ink. Based between Hokkaido (Asahikawa) and Tokyo, Soufu has held solo exhibitions, performed calligraphic performances internationally, and collaborated on design projects — ranging from corporate lettering and store logos to interior art.
During my residency on Nikoi Island, I explored the island and experimented with natural materials as tools and surfaces for calligraphy. One of my main experiments was using dried pandan leaves as a brush. By removing the outer layer, I was able to expose the inner fibers and use them for writing. The movement of each individual fiber is difficult to control, but by connecting its movement with the movement of my arm, I discovered a unique way of creating lines. The unpredictable nature of the fibers produced expressions that went beyond my original intention. I experimented with bundles of rough coconut fibers as brushes. By changing the density of the fibers, I could create different qualities and movements within one work, producing dynamic expressions that would not be possible with a traditional calligraphy brush.
I also incorporated coconut leaves into the presentation of the work. This was inspired by a guest who visited my studio and suggested that the material would suit my work very well. Her suggestion opened up a new possibility for the presentation and became a valuable part of the creative process. Through these experiments, I discovered new possibilities for calligraphy by allowing natural materials, chance, and the surrounding environment to become part of the creative process.
Another collaborative artwork I created together with the guests and the staff, was “Harmony.” I first found this way of making art when I was working in Johor Bahru, Malaysia.
The idea behind this work is a simple question: When we meet something different from ourselves, how can we create harmony?
Everyone has different ideas, feelings, and experiences. So, I don’t think harmony means that everyone has to make the same thing.
For me, harmony means keeping our differences, but still finding a way to create something together. I wanted to see how different things could come together, overlap, and create something new. That is why I made this work together with the guests and staff.
It was especially meaningful to create “Harmony” here at Nikoi, a place where people from different backgrounds come together, and where people and nature live together. The process of making this work together was just as important as the final artwork.
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