{"id":4173,"date":"2025-12-18T13:25:27","date_gmt":"2025-12-18T13:25:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/martinemussies.nl\/web\/?page_id=4173"},"modified":"2025-12-18T13:25:28","modified_gmt":"2025-12-18T13:25:28","slug":"budogirl","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/martinemussies.nl\/web\/budogirl\/","title":{"rendered":"BudoGirl"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"253\" src=\"http:\/\/martinemussies.nl\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/budogirl-header-1024x253.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4174\" srcset=\"http:\/\/martinemussies.nl\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/budogirl-header-1024x253.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/martinemussies.nl\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/budogirl-header-300x74.jpg 300w, http:\/\/martinemussies.nl\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/budogirl-header-768x190.jpg 768w, http:\/\/martinemussies.nl\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/budogirl-header.jpg 1464w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>BudoGirl<\/strong> is an artistic research project that brings together visual art, martial practice, and cultural critique through a sustained engagement with the <em>way of the warrior<\/em>. Encompassing kata studies, kendo-inspired drawings, explorations of <em>hojojutsu<\/em> (the Japanese art of binding), and the development of the BudoGirl brand, the project examines discipline and constraint as productive forces. Whether through the disciplined gesture of a drawn line, the controlled tension of a tied rope, or the deliberate construction of a visual identity, BudoGirl investigates how strength, form, and restraint are cultivated, embodied, and communicated. Drawing on Japanese and Japanese-inspired techniques \u2014 including calligraphy, manga-influenced illustration, cyanotype on washi paper, and brush painting \u2014 these practices are reimagined within a contemporary visual language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Emerging from a critical awareness of the lack of visual representation of minorities in martial arts culture \u2014 particularly women, disabled practitioners, and people of colour \u2014 the BudoGirl brand functions not merely as a design practice, but as a deliberate critical intervention. It challenges dominant iconographies of martial strength by foregrounding alternative bodies, identities, and narratives within bud\u014d-related visual culture. Works from the BudoGirl project have been exhibited at, among others, Bibliotheek Neude, Bibliotheek Leidsche Rijn, and ACU, and featured on platforms such as the website of <a href=\"https:\/\/martinemussies.nl\/web\/the-way-of-the-sword-as-a-way-to-connect-an-essay-on-kendo-and-autism\/\">Kate Sylvester<\/a> and <em><a href=\"https:\/\/martinemussies.nl\/web\/japan-fans-budogirl-creative-with-black-ink\/\">Creatief met Zwarte Inkt<\/a><\/em>. BudoGirl illustrations have appeared widely in both national and international martial arts and cultural contexts, including <em>Zanshin<\/em>, <em>Kendo Jidai<\/em>, <a href=\"https:\/\/budogirl.teemill.com\/collection\/utrecht-ginkgo\/\">official T-shirts for the 2023 Iaido National Championships in Utrecht<\/a>, promotional materials for seminars for sword-fighting women, Comic Con Utrecht, Abunai Con, album artwork for Japanese music releases, projects for <em>Japan Fans<\/em> and CEAL, numerous dojo worldwide, and the official programme booklet of the 2025 European Kendo Championships in Leiden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">BudoGirl Avatars (selection)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"450\" height=\"664\" data-id=\"4175\" src=\"https:\/\/martinemussies.nl\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/kendogirl-in-de-dojo.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4175\" srcset=\"http:\/\/martinemussies.nl\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/kendogirl-in-de-dojo.png 450w, http:\/\/martinemussies.nl\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/kendogirl-in-de-dojo-203x300.png 203w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"924\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"4176\" src=\"https:\/\/martinemussies.nl\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/postcard2_verkleind-924x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4176\" srcset=\"http:\/\/martinemussies.nl\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/postcard2_verkleind-924x1024.png 924w, http:\/\/martinemussies.nl\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/postcard2_verkleind-271x300.png 271w, http:\/\/martinemussies.nl\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/postcard2_verkleind-768x851.png 768w, http:\/\/martinemussies.nl\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/postcard2_verkleind-1386x1536.png 1386w, http:\/\/martinemussies.nl\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/postcard2_verkleind.png 1621w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 924px) 100vw, 924px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"724\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"4177\" src=\"https:\/\/martinemussies.nl\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/wheelchair-karate-724x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4177\" srcset=\"http:\/\/martinemussies.nl\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/wheelchair-karate-724x1024.jpg 724w, http:\/\/martinemussies.nl\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/wheelchair-karate-212x300.jpg 212w, http:\/\/martinemussies.nl\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/wheelchair-karate-768x1086.jpg 768w, http:\/\/martinemussies.nl\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/wheelchair-karate-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, http:\/\/martinemussies.nl\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/wheelchair-karate.jpg 1448w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 724px) 100vw, 724px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tanto Geisha series (selection)<br><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"534\" height=\"599\" data-id=\"2867\" src=\"https:\/\/martinemussies.nl\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/image.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2867\" srcset=\"http:\/\/martinemussies.nl\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/image.png 534w, http:\/\/martinemussies.nl\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/image-267x300.png 267w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 534px) 100vw, 534px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"504\" height=\"709\" data-id=\"2412\" src=\"https:\/\/martinemussies.nl\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/tanto-geisha2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2412\" srcset=\"http:\/\/martinemussies.nl\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/tanto-geisha2.jpg 504w, http:\/\/martinemussies.nl\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/tanto-geisha2-213x300.jpg 213w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 504px) 100vw, 504px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" data-id=\"3113\" src=\"https:\/\/martinemussies.nl\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/tanto-geisha.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3113\" srcset=\"http:\/\/martinemussies.nl\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/tanto-geisha.png 800w, http:\/\/martinemussies.nl\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/tanto-geisha-300x300.png 300w, http:\/\/martinemussies.nl\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/tanto-geisha-150x150.png 150w, http:\/\/martinemussies.nl\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/tanto-geisha-768x768.png 768w, http:\/\/martinemussies.nl\/web\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/tanto-geisha-75x75.png 75w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>BudoGirl is an artistic research project that brings together visual art, martial practice, and cultural critique through a sustained engagement with the way of the warrior. Encompassing kata studies, kendo-inspired drawings, explorations of hojojutsu (the&hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-4173","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>BudoGirl &#187; Martine Mussies<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"BudoGirl is an artistic research project that brings together visual art, martial practice, and cultural critique. 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