Living as an Artist in Kobe

Living and working at AiRK in Kobe completely changed my perspective on what it means to be an artist.

For the first time, I experienced life inside a dedicated studio environment surrounded by artists who genuinely supported and encouraged one another. There was a strong sense of openness and curiosity within the residency that made experimentation feel natural rather than intimidating.

• 

• 

• 

Coming from Malta, where artistic spaces and opportunities can sometimes feel limited, this environment felt refreshing. Instead of competition, there was collaboration. Instead of pressure, there was encouragement to explore ideas freely.

Kobe itself became part of the artistic experience. The city carries a calm energy that slowly influences your way of thinking and observing. Every day details began inspiring me creatively — flowers outside homes, quiet side streets, handwritten signs, train station sounds, and the balance between urban life and nature.

One of the most rewarding parts of the residency was seeing how people reacted to my work. My anime-inspired sculptural abstract pieces generated a lot of curiosity because many residents and visitors described them as something they had never encountered before. It was interesting seeing people connect anime culture with abstract contemporary art in ways I had always hoped they would.

Originally, the residency was expected to conclude with a work-in-progress exhibition. However, due to the time-intensive nature of my sculptural process, this evolved into an artist talk instead. Surprisingly, this became one of the most meaningful moments of the residency. People became deeply interested in understanding how I develop ideas, how emotions become textures and forms, and how anime influences my artistic language.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

The residency reminded me that art is not only about producing final works — it is also about conversation, exchange, process, and human connection.

This project was supported by Arts Council Malta through the International Participation Scheme.