Project "Doolia's Ballroom" (June 10-28, 2026) at Art Center BUG: At the Intersection of Care and Queerness

"CRAWL" is a program for art workers (planners) run by Art Center BUG, operated by Recruit Holdings Co., Ltd. Its purpose is to connect art workers with opportunities and spaces for future connections by using proposals as communication tools, facilitating discussions with mentors, peer reviews among participants, and network building.

"Doolia's Ballroom," selected through "CRAWL," will be held starting June 10, 2026.

This project began as an attempt to examine the intersection of different minorities and explore new possibilities for solidarity.

It stands at the convergence of "care" (sustaining life), "queerness" (shaking norms), and "grief" (being with loss), unraveling the aesthetics (aesthetics/sensology) born in those moments of "co-presence." It aims to run that process and present that state as it is.

A major highlight will be live performances by families of medical care children at the venue. Additionally, when performances are not taking place, the venue will transform. Through installations based on photography, video, and living organisms, the art center will be redefined (updated) as an open public sphere, aligning with the philosophy of a "park" for citizens.

During the exhibition and time for interaction with visitors, we will depict the afterglow and premonition of a "place" for us to live together.

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Highlights of the Exhibition

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1. A transformative "ballroom" where care and queerness intersect

This presents a point where the personal, daily practice of care intersects with the spirit of resistance and celebration inherent in queer culture. Caregivers (families) transforming into drag queens, surrendering their bodies to the voices and sounds of children in lip-sync performances, emit the radiance of "life" transcending fixed roles. It is not merely a show, but a earnest experimental ground for grasping the beginnings of solidarity.

2. A new viewing experience brought by the space of "co-presence"

When performances are not taking place, the venue transforms into a space for exhibition and interaction, where visitors can stay leisurely. What is placed there, and what kind of presence remains? Through photo exhibitions with interactive elements and spaces woven from fragments of performances, visitors can experience the meaning of "co-presence" with someone through their own bodily sensations.

3. Redefining the art center as a public sphere and expanding accessibility

BUG will reopen as a space aligned with the philosophy of a "park," where everyone can stay at their own pace. Visitors in wheelchairs are welcome, as is staying for extended periods, or even making loud noises for "suctioning." It aims to deconstruct existing viewing norms and create a place where people with diverse bodies and backgrounds can equally feel "they belong."

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Related Events

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Drag performances by caregivers of medical care children are scheduled on weekends during the exhibition period.

Details and reservation methods will be announced on the website and SNS.

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Planner Profile

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Mo / MO

Born in Taipei, currently residing in Kyoto.

"Mo" is used as the activity name, taking the first character of the family name for easy remembrance.

In recent years, actively involved as a member of "Mi-Mi-Bi," a dance company of NPO Dance Box.

They spend their days starting with each member, who has diverse ways of being, tentatively placing their "I"-like dance, and through continuous practice and揉み合い (negotiation/rubbing together) of relationships, aiming for conviction to emerge in that space (rather than "me"), until the performance day arrives.

While building a career as a systems engineer, through their own illness and subsequent medical and non-medical social experiences, they became interested in "care" and the resonance of its subjects. They plan projects that allow intuitive understanding of ideas and shared experiences with various people, even for things difficult to articulate.

Major appearances include Monochrome Circus "FLOOD" (2019, Kyoto Art Center),

Mi-Mi-Bi "Shima shima no Mai mai" (2024, Toyo...