A unique exhibition focusing on personal failures was held by a college student from Koriyama, Fukushima Prefecture, on Nov. 18.
　The exhibition was organized by Momoe Endo, a 21-year-old student from Tohoku University of Art and Design, who wanted to spread the message that there is nothing wrong with making mistakes, and that you can learn from them and turn things around for the better.

　「失敗をポジティブなものに変えたい」。郡山市出身の東北芸術工科大（山形市）４年の遠藤百笑（ももえ）さん（２１）は１１月１８日、郡山市のコワーキングスペース「ｃｏ―ｂａ　ｋｏｒｉｙａｍａ（コーバ郡山）」で、誰もが経験する"失敗"を見つめる体験型の展示会「失敗展」を開いた。

　At a coworking space called co-ba koriyama, where the exhibition took place, visitors were asked through illustrations and other means to think of 10 questions related to mistakes and failures that occur in daily lives. They were also asked to express their responses to these questions by placing a sticker on them if they could sympathize with what was being presented or by writing comments. The displays were devised to enable visitors to face their own mistakes and failures while also having some fun.

　展示は自身で描いたイラストなどを使った計１０個の問い掛けに対し、日常でありがちな失敗に共感したらシールを貼ったり、失敗に対する意見を書き込んだりと、来場者参加型で進めていく形。会場には、来場者が楽しく自身の失敗に向き合うことができる仕掛けがちりばめられた。

　"I used to be afraid of failing and so was unable to face new challenges," Endo said. However, her friends and instructors helped her overcome her fear while trying various things in her college life, and she soon began to think that it was all right to make mistakes. With hopes of realizing a society that is tolerant of personal errors, she held an exhibition in October as part of her graduation project in the city of Yamagata, where the college is located, and brought the same exhibition to Koriyama, where she is from.

　「昔は失敗が怖くて挑戦できない自分がいた」と話す遠藤さん。大学生活でさまざまなことに挑戦する中で、失敗をカバーしてくれる友人や先生の支えを受け「失敗しても大丈夫」と考えられるようになった。「失敗を肯定できる社会になれば」との思いを胸に、大学がある山形市で１０月、卒業研究の一環として開いた展示会を、巡回展として地元・郡山でも開催した。

　Endo's worst failure yet occurred when she was a freshman and was telling her friend how she had broken up with her boyfriend. Instead of saying she was at "donzoko" (rock bottom) in her life, she mistakenly said "zundoko," which is a rhythmic Japanese tune. Since then, every time she feels like she is going to hit rock bottom, she is reminded of this episode, which makes her chuckle. Zundoko has become a phrase she uses to cheer herself up.

　遠藤さん自身の「今までで一番の失敗」は、大学１年のころに失恋し、泣きながら友人に相談している時、「人生のどん底」を「人生のずんどこ」と言い間違えてしまったこと。それ以来、「どん底」の状況になっても「人生のずんどこ」を思い出して笑ってしまう、元気になれるキーフレーズになった。

　Later in December, the exhibition will be held in Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture, and in Tokyo, with plans to hold the exhibition in Akita Prefecture and in Sendai as well.

（　Translated by The Japan News　）

　展覧会は１２月中に兵庫県尼崎市と東京都内でも開かれる。また、秋田県と仙台市でも開催を計画中。

　【　２０１８年１１月１６日付・福島民友新聞掲載、記事一部修正　】