Masako Fujino, who passed away in 2021, lived with schizophrenia for about 38 of her 63 years. The condition first manifested in her mid-20s while she was pursuing medical studies, and it accompanied her until her death from lung cancer.
Yayoi Kusama, who experienced hallucinations from childhood, not only expressed these visions through her art but also amplified them, becoming one of the most successful artists in auctions. Kusama passed away on August 14, 2026, at the age of 97.
From a worldly perspective, the lives of these two women are starkly different. Masako lived in seclusion, often confined at home, while Kusama traveled between New York and Japan, transforming her hallucinations into celebrated art.
What kind of world did these two women inhabit that led to such contrasting experiences? How should we approach the realities of those who perceive things beyond the ordinary?
Director Tomoaki Fujino, who created the documentary film 'What Could Have Been Done,' is Masako's younger brother. The sudden change in his once-kind sister during his teenage years compelled him to leave home.
Years later, armed with a camcorder, Tomoaki returned home to document his family over two decades. During this time, Masako's condition worsened, but as her brother, he had no legal authority to intervene. This long record of their lives, marked by helplessness, culminated in the film titled 'What Could Have Been Done.'
The film captures not just the life of a woman with schizophrenia but also the story of a family. Masako and Tomoaki grew up in a privileged environment, with a father who was a capable doctor and a mother who supported them.
Masako, intelligent and determined, followed her parents into medical school, but her symptoms began to emerge during anatomy classes, marking the start of the family's struggles. The film chronicles the family's history over 40 years until Masako's passing, leading viewers to ponder, 'What could have been done.'
Initially, when her symptoms appeared, Masako was taken to a psychiatric hospital by ambulance, but her father brought her home without any medical treatment, resulting in a 25-year gap in care. Questions about why they refused hospital treatment could point to the harsh realities of mental health facilities in the 1980s or the inadequacies of schizophrenia medications at the time.
However, it seems that in the world of her parents, the notion of their daughter having a mental illness was an impossible reality. They may have either accepted Masako's unconventional life or believed it was not wrong. Regardless, in their world, Masako remained their intelligent daughter who loved to study.
What, then, was Masako's world like? Despite attempts to understand it through her unusual responses and erratic behavior, it remains elusive. Masako's interest in astrology suggests her world might have been connected to the sun, moon, and stars, but this is merely speculation. It exists in an unknown realm, yet it was undeniably real for her. If we cannot understand it, the next step is to acknowledge it.
We must also recognize the steadfast world of her parents, who led their family for over 20 years while making incomprehensible decisions. After watching the film, one is left without clear answers about what this family should have done. They simply lived their lives in their respective worlds.
Shortly after viewing the film, news of Yayoi Kusama's passing emerged. Although I had not heard of her before, her works were familiar. For someone with little knowledge of art, her name signifies a global artist. Her death was covered by various media outlets, bringing renewed attention to her life.
Kusama reportedly experienced hallucinations and mental illness from a young age, and her parents are said to have abused and neglected her, preventing her from receiving proper treatment. After seeing visions of red polka dots, she translated these images into her art, leading to the creation of her iconic yellow polka-dotted 'Pumpkin,' as well as installations like the 'Infinity Mirror Room' and 'Obliteration Room.'
A common theme in Kusama's works is the infinite proliferation of dots. She referred to this state as 'self-obliteration,' expressing her inner condition endlessly. Fortunately, people embraced her seemingly bizarre imagery and celebrated her work, allowing Kusama's world to resonate with the public.
The difference between the lives of Masako and Kusama may lie not in the nature of their worlds or their attitudes but in whether their worlds could connect with the outside world. If Masako's world had been revealed earlier, her brother Tomoaki stated, 'Ultimately, hiding problems only delays solutions and is the worst approach.'
Some worlds emerged late into the public eye, while others were expressed early, capturing attention. This is not a matter of which is better or worse but raises questions about how we should approach the worlds of others.
The invisible world of someone else combines their physical environment and relationships with the mental and psychological experiences occurring solely in their mind and heart. We often dismiss the latter, assuming it can be easily controlled and socialized by the individual.
This is where misfortune begins. To fully understand another's world, or at least to acknowledge it, we must accept that their mental world undeniably exists. Not denying its existence, even if we cannot comprehend it, is the most useful answer to the question, 'What could have been done.'
* This article has been translated by AI.
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