Issue #6: Art and Technology in Japan
Featuring an exclusive interview with artist Shiori Ichikawa
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Japan Quick Tech Update
The end of the year is approaching, and Japan’s new Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is fast adjusting to his new position.
The PM is renewing his climate change efforts, claiming Japan should lead international efforts to combat the phenomenon.
Suga’s government also held a meeting last week to determine a framework for a new digital agency.
In other news, the Tokyo Stock Exchange head resigned over last month’s full-day outage, a controversial dam project is being considered in Kumamoto Village, and Honda won the world's first approval for level-3 autonomous vehicles.
November is also a month full of tech-powered art for Japan, with Nippon Telegraph and Telephone East Corporation announcing a new online art business.
An interactive art festival is also underway on Tokyo’s JR Yamanote line, and Moominvalley Park’s new winter event features illuminations and AR sound effects.
This issue of TÉKUNI is about these events, and more generally the intersection of technology and art in Japan.
👩🎨 TÉKUNI Exclusive - Shiori Ichikawa
Shiori started her artistic career with a BA in Oil Painting from Tokyo University of the Arts and later got a Master's Degree in Printmaking from the same institution.
During the four years of her BA, Shiori created paintings and installation works and was always looking for the best techniques and materials to convey her themes.
“I was also thinking about why I had chosen art as my lifework, and I concluded it was the most important thing to me.
“When I was in the third year of my BA, I experienced printmaking and I met Professor Michael Schneider who had just taken on the position.”
Schneider supported Shiori and her colleagues with plenty of resources and told her that learning about her own history and herself was very important for her works.
“Using animal motifs are began this period.”
That’s how Shiori decided to pursue a Master's degree in Schneider’s laboratory when she continued working on the silkscreen process.
During the first year of her Master's degree, she also started a part-time job at Gallery Soumei-do, to learn more about the history of printmaking.
After she graduated, Shiori continued working at the Gallery, while also focusing on organising solo exhibitions for her artworks.
“My theme is about ‘diversity of the sense of values’. That theme came from the sad experience of my good friend killing herself when we were 17 years old. I was shocked at the news, and from that moment onward, I've thought about the reason why this world hurt her, and what are the issues in this world.”
Shiori wanted to find out how to overcome the sadness by learning more about the world, including people’s deepest experiences.
“For me, creating something is learning about the world. It somehow helped me to cope. I think that creating something in this theme might become a medium to help someone who is suffering.”
“In addition, the background of my works could also be related to the fact that my parents are vets, and I grew up on the second floor of an animal hospital in the countryside.”
Shiori’s theme is about human society, but she uses animal motifs because she does not want to blame specific individuals, races, or historical and environmental backgrounds.
“In this world, people go on about their lives coming from different backgrounds. This became more visible because of social media and the internet.
“I want to tackle current, worldwide issues, but that could end up blaming some communities. If I draw a specific human character, it could be connected to these problems. I don't want that.”
Instead, Shiori’s art show animals in curious situations that were caused by humans. Since animals cannot speak, viewers need to try to understand their feelings by reading the situation and imagine the stories from a loving perspective.
“I think that it is a very important thing in this world, even for humans. People can talk in the same language, however, we each have our own background. I want to convey the message that having our own world and set of values is normal. We need more learning, discussion, and sympathy.”
Shiori’s latest exhibition, Sleeping Instinct, ended earlier this month. The event was planned for April 2020, but the pandemic had it postponed to November.
Since the number of infections has recently increased again in Tokyo, Shiori felt that it was difficult to hold a regular art exhibition, so she decided to prepare an online exhibition.
“We exhibited the images of the whole artworks and the information on the page and showed the prices, techniques, and the materials, and everyone could also purchase the artworks via the website.”
Talking about how the experience was for her, Shiori said the upside was that more people could see her works even from other countries.
“However, I also felt the difficulty of showing my art just on an online page because the artworks had completely different impressions when watched online as opposed to as in person.”
Shiori also thinks the online format of the exhibition may have altered the existing value of her artworks.
When asked about the relationship between art and technology in Japan, she said she thinks it’s a strongly polarised one.
According to Shiori, for example, most young painting artists still don't have their own website.
“Since I was also one of the students at the Art University, I know that they don't have any education about technology there. I know that they have solid technique and sense, so I always feel sad that they are losing chances.”
Shiori adds that there is a gap between the artists who make good use of technology and those who don't.
The Saitama prefecture has recently re-opened the Moominvalley Park, and is now offering a new story walk with interactive lights and augmented reality sounds organized by teamLab.
Shiori has been at the park but has not seen the story walk yet.
“Still, I think it is a good thing because it may become children's and someone's concept of what art means. Sometimes I think that exhibitions like this can overload the senses because the human brain can conjure amazing images by just seeing nature.
“However, maybe a part of it has evolved in time, to be able to understand evolving concepts like languages. Human's feeling process may change with technology.”
Commenting on the impact of mixed reality technology on art, Shiori says it is still hard for her to distantiate her art from physical supports.
“I want to feel the real weight, smell, and impression of my artistic process, and want to complete it with my imagination. I'm interested in the connection between art and technology, but I think I will use technology to enhance my existing artworks, as a combination, not only on virtual.”
Shiori is currently planning a group exhibition in May 2021, and another solo exhibition in July 2021, which won’t be hosted at the Soumei-do Gallery.
“I don't know how 2021 will unfold, but I will keep researching and creating artworks.”
❓ Want to find out more about the latest tech news in Japan?
🔗 Here is the newsletter’s link section:
JR East to test driverless Shinkansen bullet trains in 2021 - Kyodo
Firms look to quantum solutions to COVID problems - The Mainichi
Simpler court steps proposed for revealing cyberbullies' info -Kyodo
Fugaku Retains Title as World’s Fastest Supercomputer - HPC Wire
Japan makers pitch high-tech face shields to curb infections - Kyodo
Google starts forecasting COVID-19 cases in Japan - NHK
JAL test-flies drone to carry relief goods in mountainous area - Kyodo
Packed with AI, suitcase guides visually impaired - NHK
Startup to establish U.S. lunar lander development hub - Kyodo
Shimadzu introduces automated coronavirus test machine - Kyodo
Take a Long, Romantic Walk With This Sweaty Robotic Hand - Gizmodo
Japan test-flies Osprey for 1st time despite safety concerns - Kyodo
Less than 1% of IT experts work in Japan's public sector - JiJi
Japan music fans moving from CDs to streaming services - Reuters
Sony announces end of repair service for early PS4s - Sora News 24
Miyagi governor approves nuclear reactor restart - NHK
Hokkaido deploys 'monster wolf' robot to scare bears - The Mainichi
Hackers targeting remote workers - NHK
Sony, Microsoft Struggle With Thin Launch-Day Stock - Bloomberg
Nintendo stopping Super Mario Maker uploads in 2021 - Polygon
Japan's food industry grows hot with high-tech freezing - Nikkei
Driverless taxi takes to Tokyo streets - NHK
Can this crazy LED robo mask make us better-looking? - Sora News 24
Nintendo reissues the '80s Game & Watch - TimeOut
Cyberpunk kimono fashion lands in Akihabara - Sora News 24
Japan's new hydrogen project - Renew Economy
A team of fish in Japan has beaten Pokémon Sapphire - Sora News 24
The Zipper Boat Is Art - Gizmodo
Otaku shrine celebrates PS5 launch - Sora News 24
Panasonic Created a Vacuum to Rescue Dropped AirPods - Gizmodo
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