The lights of the buildings and incandescent pale orange sunset on the surface of the water

The two met before ARTIDA OUD was established.  In India, while filming the world view for a brand is where filmmaker Eri Sawatari and ARTIDA OUD’s Mariko Abe first spent time together.

At the time, Eri was affiliated with Kotori Films, a video direction company led by Daisuke Shimada.  To this day, she has worked as a leading video artist in the Japanese video industry, producing the promotion video for the musician Chara, who appeared in the “Journal” series of interviews with ARTIDA OUD, as well as other commercials for major companies. 

Mariko, on the other hand, belonged to another brand of Sazaby League and continued to envision the brand concept for a year and a half in preparation for the launch of ARTIDA OUD. 

Images and jewelry… The fields are quite different, but both are work that come from the heart, which is in line with the theme of ARTIDA OUD, “Raw Beauty = the natural beauty of a woman”. 

Both do work from behind the scenes, one working on films and one working on building ARTIDA OUD and will tell us their thoughts about both.  Eri and Mari are like “best friends” and feel like they have known each other forever.  We will bring you their story of friendship in this interview.



 


They both walk their own path, the path of video production and jewelry


―――In December last year, Mariko invited you to talk at the “Qotorinicle exhibition” hosted by Kotori Films.

Eri：Yes.  Kotori Films closed down but we had a talk event that involved various creators we had worked with in the past.  There were four of us, Mariko, stylist Rika Endo, dance performer Yoko Honaga and myself.

Mariko：The next day, we had florist Emi Shinozaki, who was interviewed for “Journal”.  I feel really happy and feel like we are all connected.  Thanks to that event, I wanted to talk with Eri more and so invited her for this interview.

―――So Eri, how did you become a video director?

Eri：After studying video at the University of London, I backpacked around Southeast Asia (Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Indonesia).  I lost my phone on the first day which was a disaster, but I think that because I lost my phone, I was able to meet a lot of different people, so maybe it was a good thing.  After returning to Japan, I was attracted to video work while searching for a job, and joined the directors at Kotori Films in 2011. 



Before the birth of ARTIDA OUD


Eri：How did you start ARTIDA OUD?

Mariko：I raised my hand and said, “I want to do it”!  While I was working on other projects, I was also giving presentations at Sazaby League for over a year and a half with the support of the people around me.

Eri：A year and a half!  That’s a long time!  What were the contents of your presentation?

Mariko：When I look back, it went by so fast, but I talked about brand concepts.  That was part of why I took photographs of craftsmen in Jaipur, India and natural stones from all over the world and organized them before I started ARTIDA OUD and created the world of the brand beforehand.

Eri：I love cultural clothing and used to work part time at an ethnic general store, so I always thought that I wanted to “go to India” and that is why I went with you. (laughs)  I had no idea I would be part of the birth of ARTIDA OUD.

Mariko：Eri was also one of the founders of ARTIDA OUD because we showed her movie during our last presentation.  That was the first time I went to make samples of our jewelry, and before the actual launch, we had a lot of first moments together which was encouraging.

―――You made the movie before the actual launch, but it really reflects the world of ARTIDA OUD.  Did you get together to fine-tune the image you wanted beforehand?

Mariko：Actually, it was more like, “Hi, nice to meet you.  Let’s go to India!” and it was a really tight schedule so I felt bad because I left a lot of the work up to her.  But the result was a movie that conveys the image we wanted.  “This is ARTIDA OUD”.  We also have the Akoa Pearl series and that movie was filmed before any of the jewelry was made.  Eri has the ability to tell a story through images and impression that are hard to put into words.

Eri：It makes me happy to hear you say that.











―――When this was made, Eri was part of Kotori Films, but Kotori Films closed down last year after 10 years of making films.

Eri：Yes.  I used to work freelance, so this wasn’t such a big change but there were a lot of directors there who inspired me.

Mariko：What kind of production were you involved in?

Eri：I was mainly directing advertisements and music videos.  I also did independent production for several years with stylist Rika Endo while I was working as an assistant.

Mariko：Yes, this.  This is definitely Eri’s work, with an interesting and unique world view.

“ROSE Exhibition Special with one piece dresses for girls”

Eri：I wanted to get this on film so I did.  I’ve always wanted to make a film like a picture painting.  When talking with the stylist, I asked “what are you into right now?” and took it from there and we talked about how she liked fortune telling and tarot.  I wanted to make something that reflected what she liked and make something that was visually appealing, like a painting.

Mariko：What kind of art pieces do you like?

Eri：I’ve never see the original painting, but I really like Yoko Ono’s famous “Ceiling Painting”.  A person on a ladder uses a magnifying glass to read the words on the ceiling.  The words on the ceiling say “Yes”.  I am the type of person who worries a lot so I really like that kind of work and it encourages me.

―――The “Ceiling Painting” was the catalyst that brought John Lennon and Yoko Ono together.  The fact that just one piece of artwork can change your destiny.  Very romantic.






Inspiration from words


―――What inspires you?

Eri：Mariko and I talked about this while working together.

Mariko：We did.  ARTIDA OUD has a natural theme to it.  I am inspired by travel in Eurasia, natural gemstones and Akoa pearls.  Also, I get inspired by reading poetry.  I think it’s easier to imagine a scenario through words versus pictures.

Eri：I think I’m much the same.  I am inspired by paintings and poetry.  I’d like to make a documentary video of the composition of a picture.  I don’t know if it’s inspiration, but maybe a hint of imagination.  Mariko, what kind of poetry do you like to read?

Mariko：I actually brought a few of my favorites with me today.

Eri：Wow!





Mariko：It’s in English, but easy to understand.  I like to read Paul Verlaine, the french poet and the ancient Greek female poet, Sappho.  I like fragmentary type words because they sound good.  I am also addicted to “Greek and Roman quotations”.

Eri：Do you have a favorite phrase or quote?

Mariko：One of my favorite sayings recently is: “If you count the number of sunny days and cloudy days for a year, you will find that there are more sunny days”.  This is a saying by Publius Ovidius Naso, a roman poet.  Doesn’t that make you feel like you want to cry? 

Eri：That’s beautiful, I want to read that.  I mentioned this earlier, but I also always loved the impact of Yoko Ono’s poetry called “Grapefruit Juice”.  There are books that I love, and what I like changes from time to time so I easily forget about them, but I never forgot about this.  It depends on the poetry and the direction, but in the end, the words “Burn this book, after you read it” closes it wonderfully.  I think it’s really nice and I read it occasionally.

―――John Lennon was influenced by “Grapefruit Juice” and some say it was the inspiration for the Beatles song “Imagine”.

Eri：Yes, even if you read it now, it doesn’t seem like an older book.  Please read it when you have the chance.

Mariko：The theme of ARTIDA OUD is “Raw Beauty = the natural beauty of a woman”, in that way is there anyone who comes to mind?

Eri：When you are young, the power and presence alone I think is beautiful.  But as you get older, what’s on the inside starts to come out and that is important as well.

Mariko：When I hear natural beauty, Sappho immediately comes to mind.  She was a rare woman in early times that took words and spun them beautifully.  I will continue to read her work from here on out.






I wasn’t able to be purely impressed by the beautiful ocean, something I carry with me all the time


Mariko：Is there something that moved you recently?

Eri：I am basically a negative thinker, so I am not moved very easily… (laughs)  I recently went location hunting and the traffic on the way was really bad, we were behind schedule in getting to a spot that I had closed off by request.  We were supposed to have a really nice dinner, but ended up eating food from the convenience store… I felt bad for my staff.  But I was resolute in my stance and decision.  During that time, I saw the ocean from the bus and it was beautiful, but I had a strange feeling within me, and didn’t really feel purely impressed by how beautiful the ocean was. 

Mariko：I have a very good impression of Eri, she is so delicate.  I can see how difficult it is for her to express herself through her work.

―――So with all of that said, when is it that you feel most at ease?

Mariko：I am responsible and involved in all aspects of ARTIDA OUD so I feel pressure every day, but when I am working with designers to make ARTIDA OUD jewelry, it really is a lot of fun.  I feel a healing sensation and feel at ease when talking with the craftsmen and creators, whether it’s just everyday conversation or a very serious conversation.  I have a deep respect for the craftsmen and talking with them is very interesting.

Eri：I also love conversation.  When we went to shoot the pearls at Ise Shima, I spoke with the craftsman.  They are alone for most of the day.  I think it’s so cool that they are devoted to spending their time with shells and pearls. 

Mariko：The story of Tamaki Sato, which was in the “ISSUE” section of ARTIDA OUD, is a pearl craftsman from Mazakijima who has been doing aquaculture work with Akoa shellfish for about 40 years, but said that he still doesn’t know too much about shellfish.  It takes four years to make a pearl, but I was impressed to hear that it becomes easier to produce pearls after you familiarize yourself with shellfish.  I will be going to Mazakijima to see Mr. Sato tomorrow.  It’s a mystery of nature, and I want to cherish the individuality of pearls and stones, one by one.






I don’t think I can be who I want to be, but I want to make something that pulls at the heart of women


Mariko：I have a very stoic impression of you.  Is there something you want to become or something that you want to achieve?

Eri：I am the type of person who isn’t able to work well if I think too much about the road ahead, and I don’t think too much about ideas, I just take what’s in front of me and get it done.  In college, I went toward the visual side, but I wanted to send a message through my work.  My future goals? … Nothing in particular, but I want to make something visual and inspirational that pulls at the heart of women. 



Enjoy everyday life and extraordinary things. Make charity fashionable.


Mariko：ARTIDA OUD wants to empower women.  I would be happy if all women could wear beautiful jewelry every day and experience that beautiful sparkle.  I hope to be someone who can help the people of the world by making beautiful jewelry people can enjoy.

Eri：I can’t really put it to words, but I like image documentaries.  I also like conflicting and unusual images, so I understand what Mariko is saying.  ARTIDA OUD is involved in making donations, right?  When people buy ARTIDA OUD jewelry, you make donations to the women of the world?

Mariko：That’s right, we are working hard at that.  When I was in college, I worked as a volunteer teacher in a village in northern India.  From that time on, I always thought that I wanted to make donations.  In detail, ARTIDA OUD makes donations to help expand the international NGO Plan International’s global campaign, “Because I am a Girl Campaign”.  They help to protect girls from various risks and encourage them to demonstrate their power to live.

Eri：I also backpacked and went to India, but I also went to Cambodia so I understand.  My work means I make extraordinary things, but I vaguely think about shooting a documentary on site and make moving images of the local people.  In that sense, filming in India and Ise Shima was one of the things I wanted to do, so I was grateful to be able to work with you on that.  Do you have any other ideas you are thinking about?

Mariko：With our pearl series “philia”, that are made with pearls from Ise Shima by our pearl farmer, one thing we are worried about is that he has no successor to continue his work.  We want to create a cycle that not only supports this, but find a way to do what we need to do on our own, deliver products at an affordable price to everyone so they can enjoy our products and do what we can to help revitalize each region.  I want people to know the charm of the pearls of ARTIDA OUD and learn more about the situation surrounding pearl farming in Mazakijima. 






Life in general can be more fun if you think “I can do it”, rather than “I can’t do it”


―――Do you have a message for all of the hard working women in the world?

Eri：There’s not much I can say, but I think it’s unfortunate if someone says “I don’t think I can do it”, or if someone puts a limit on their self.  There are things that you give up on, but I am the type of person that would say “let’s do it”, and tackle it head on in a positive way.  I think if women in general change their thought process from “I can’t do it” to “I can do it”, life in general can be more fun.

Mariko：My impression of Eri is that of someone who is tough but delicate, and won’t do what she can’t do.  When we were making our movie, she was always walking around, without a direction but was able to find and film stoic scenes that were not expected to be in the movie, which I was happy to see.

Eri：Even when you don’t know if you will use footage, there is always the possibility that it may become a very important scene, so I hold on to those shots.  But Mariko is also quite tough.  She has a very soft disposition and when you talk to her, you can feel her strength coming out from her core.  After all, she is beautiful on the inside as well and it comes out in her smile.  People say luck comes from laughter, right!  Are you always thinking about smiling?

Mariko：That’s right, I always am careful and try not to show an angry face.  In the Chara interview of the “Journal” section, Chara said that “women should always be in a good mood”.

Eri：I agree, and smile as much as possible.  I keep that in mind.  Recently, I found that traveling is a good way to get back to your real self.  A change in your environment can make you feel refreshed when you travel overseas.  But I can’t just go whenever I want, so when I have a day off, I want to visit a museum.  Mariko, what do you think?

Mariko：I also like to travel.  I recently went to Tuscany, Italy for a week on a business trip to make a perfume for ARTIDA OUD and I felt really refreshed.  I want to travel with you again sometime.  I look forward to seeing special scenes as seen from your point of view.  I think if we could express charity with craftsmen in a fashionable way, we could broaden our base for the younger generation and help to change the values in the world.