Japan Forum at Palazzo Michiel, Venice
The Japan Forum - Sunday, 29 August 2021 - aims to bring attention to Japanese traditional and innovative architecture, and culture with a conference and screening of the documentary In Between Mountains and Oceans.
Creating Circular Society inspired by Japan
Sunday, 29 August 2021
10.30am – 2.30pm
Palazzo Michiel, Venice
Limited spots available – RSVP at press@ecc-italy.eu
The Japan Forum aims to bring attention to Japanese traditional and innovative architecture, and culture with a conference and screening of the documentary In Between Mountains and Oceans.
Organised by the European Cultural Centre in collaboration with JINOWA Consortium (Japan) Genuine Education Network (Italy) / GEN Japan Co.
Cosponsors: Ise City, Japan Sake Brewers Association, Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), CibOfficina di Carlo Nesler (Italy).
Cooperation: Isedewa DMO (Japan), Nippon Concièrge (Italy).
Under the strong demand of urge shifting the circular and sustainable transformation of architecture in the world, many international eyes have been on Japanese traditional architecture, which prizes harmony between humankind and nature.
This year, the European Cultural Centre invited 11 Japanese artists and architects to take part to its fifth architecture exhibition titled Time Space Existence. Exhibits presented include a project that use natural materials with innovation, and traditional Japanese building techniques.
Tono Mirai’s work, JINEN has been built in Palazzo Mora using only local earth and wood with Japanese traditional technic. JINEN is not only an architectural creation of interior spaces but also a garden reflecting the biodiversity of Venice coast. Yet, the biggest highlight is deconstructing and recycling all the materials after the exhibition. The project idea was inspired by Japanese tradition in the Shinto shrine, the holiest shrine called Ise-Jingu of Japan, which has a tradition of over 1000 years of rebuild whole shrine every 20 years which creates a unique self-sufficient circular system of the whole region.
The circulation of local materials is an important keyword in Japanese culture. This can be seen not only in architecture but in all aspects of food, clothing and housing in Japanese tradition. In this forum industry professionals are invited to design a new circular society based on traditional Japanese culture to share the hint of a harmonious relationship between nature and mankind.
After the forum the public will have the opportunity to watch the Japanese film documentary In Between Mountain and Ocean which shares the story of Ise-Jingu. Moreover guests will enjoy an imaginary journey to Japan with sake tasting and a presentation of Japanese culture.
The European Cultural Centre presents the following Japanese artists in Time Space Existence 2021
Akiko Sato, BAUM, frontoffice tokyo, Hidemi Nishida, IIA Atelier, iVY Design Associates, Kamakura Design Studio, Masaki Komatsu, Metaph Architect Associates, Testa Associates, Tono Mirai Architects.
The Program
10.30am | Introduction to Time Space Existence and the European Cultural Centre with Rachele De Stefano, Exhibition Organizer and Head of Architecture, and Yuki
10.45am | Introduction to Jinowa and Jinen project at Palazzo Mora with Yukako Saito and Yukari Tanaka from JINOWA Consortium ITALY and CEO of GEN Japan.
11.00am | Japanese traditional techniques for sustainable innovation in architecture with Kozo Kadowaki, Architect and Curator of the Japan Pavilion at the 17th International Architecture Exhibition, Venice Biennale, and Ryoko Iwase selected architect at the Japan Pavilion
12.00pm | Sake and Japanese Culture Presentation Introducing regionality and sustainable culture in Mie prefecture with Carlo Nelser, Fermentation expert and Agro-ecologist, and Marco Massarotto President of Nippon Concièrge, Sake Samurai
1.00pm | Screening of the Japanese documentary film ‘In between Mountain and Ocean‘ Supported by the City of ISE, Mie prefecture
Held once every 20 years at the Ise Grand Shrine in Mie Prefecture, the Shikinen Sengu, a rite central to the relationship between Japanese and the natural world, is explored in this documentary by photographer Miyazawa Masaaki. Miyazawa visits the shrine’s sacred woods, the cypress forests of Kiso, the Shirakami mountain range, and other such deep mountain valleys throughout the country to interview experts in various fields including masters of temple carpentry, fishermen, and scientists. The spirit of Japan which has coexisted with the forests and seas will become evident in this journey around the country.
About the Guests:
Kozo Kadowaki is an architect and architectural theorist specializing scholarly in building systems design. He teaches at Meiji University and Tokyo University of the Arts, and practices architecture with his firm Associates, which recently completed The Kadowaki House. His recent publication includes The Philosophy of Sharing. His recent awards include the Annual Architectural Design Commendation from the Architectural Institute of Japan.
Ryoko Iwase is a Japanese architect that was selected to exhibit of at the Japan Pavilion at the 17th International Architecture Exhibition, Venice Biennale. Born in 1984, President of Studio Iwase and Assistant professor, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University. After working for EM2N Architects in Switzerland and at Kengo Kuma and Associates, she established her own office after winning the 2013 Kizu River Waterfront Competition held by Osaka Prefecture; her prizewinning waterfront renovation, Tocotocodandan, was completed in 2017. Her practice covers multiple areas from architectural spaces to public-works infrastructure and public space design. She has received the grand prize of The Japanese Institute of Landscape Architecture Award, the Good Design Gold Award, the Tokyo University of the Arts Emerald Award, and the Best Debutant Award.
Carlo Nesler is a Fermentation Expert and Agro-ecologist. Carlo is well known as an innovative producer of miso and shoyu inspired by Japan but only use local ingredient in Italy. He founded the CibOfficina Microbiotica in Viterbo, teaches fermentation all over Italy and abroad. Viterbo studio is a centre for production, training and experimentation, focused on fermentation and natural agriculture. Carlo also known as an Italian author and interpreted, he contributes to disseminating Sandor Katz’s Wild Fermentation, considered by many to be the most authoritative publication on the subject of fermentation.
Marco Massarotto is the President of Nippon Concièrge, Sake Samurai. Marco is one of the leading experts in the promotion of Japanese sake in Italy today. He will give a presentation on Japanese sake and fermentation culture with a sake tasting of specially selected bottles from Mie Prefecture by Japan Sake Brewers Association.
Masaaki Mitazawa is a leading Japanese photographer, he works actively within the fashion and advertising industries as well as regularly exhibiting around the world. In 1985 he received the New York International Center of Photography Rookie of the Year Award. He recently directed his first feature documentary In Between Mountains and Oceans.
Limited spots available – RSVP at press@ecc-italy.eu