“From ち(Chi) to ち(Chi-knowledge)”

September 19 (Fri) – November 24 (Mon, substitute holiday), 2025

The bustling downtown of Chiba, lined with restaurants, large electronics stores, and shopping malls, is dotted with people coming and going. Amidst the clamor of this suburban city, mysterious “chi”-shaped monuments, painted in diverse colors and techniques, are scattered about. These monuments, existing in the cityscape with an utterly ordinary appearance, also overlap with memories of street art that once thrived in front of the station.

Artist Hanae Miyamoto, who studied printmaking at art university and has worked as a chef, childcare worker, and support worker assisting people with disabilities, aims to create this very scene through this project.

The ten “chi”-shaped monuments, symbols of the Chiba International Art Festival 2025, were created through collaboration with ten disability welfare facilities in Chiba City, gathered through open calls. Within Chiba City alone, there are 240 facilities providing support services, including daily living care and employment support, for people with disabilities. While these are indispensable places for people with disabilities living in the community, the reality is that not as many people in the neighborhood know about their existence or activities.

For this project, Miyamoto visited all ten facilities. She proposed creative methods tailored to each individual’s desires, physical movements, characteristics, and interests (referred to as “friends” in this project), engaging in repeated communication. While the end result is the creation of the “chi” shaped monuments, the communication process itself and discovering subtle “expressions” that the individuals or staff might not notice are also key aspects.

The “social model of disability” in social welfare defines ‘disability’ not as something inherent to the individual, but as existing within society. This project involves artists visiting welfare facilities scattered throughout the community, interacting with the people who attend them, and gently releasing what emerges from these relationships into the townscape. Through this activity, it aims to gradually loosen the various “disabilities”—both large and small—that exist within Chiba City.

Event Overview

Dates: September 19 (Fri) – November 24 (Mon, substitute holiday), 2025
Hours: According to the business hours of Perie Chiba
Closed: Follows the regular holidays of Perie Chiba
Venue：Perie Chiba（1-1-1 Shinchiba, Chuo-ku, Chiba City, 260-0031）
[Paid parking available / Elevator available / Restrooms available / Accessible restrooms available]
Admission: Free
Project Sponsor：TOMIO CORPORATION
Support：Irodama Co., Ltd(Commissioned by Chiba Prefecture’s “Uminomori” Project for Supporting Arts and Cultural Activities for Persons with Disabilities)、Sōbu Styrene Co., Ltd、Chiba Station Building co.,ltd、Pentel Co., Ltd、Yotsukaido Fukushikai Social Welfare Corporation

Participating facilities and Organizations

Heatstroke Prevention Measures

Please take measures to prevent heatstroke by staying hydrated and wearing a hat, etc., according to the environment. If you feel unwell, please notify a nearby staff member.

Photography and Video Recording

Photography and video recording will be conducted on the day for promotional and record-keeping purposes. Media outlets may also conduct interviews and filming. Photographs and videos taken may be published on the Chiba International Art Festival website, social media, brochures, and other promotional materials, as well as on television, magazines, and other media. We kindly ask for your understanding in advance.