In 2022, a new creative hub for people, Civic Creative Base Tokyo (CCBT), emerged in Shibuya. CCBT is aimed at transforming Tokyo into a better city through creativity and technology, creating ideas towards this goal together with members of the public. To present future social models, CCBT collaborates with external partners on the new program series CCBTx. As a first collaboration between CCBT and Ars Electronica, Art as Catalyst evolved.
The event happening between December 14th – 24th, 2023, in SusHi Tech Tokyo, explored the relationship between art and innovation. The exhibition “Ars Electronica Inspirations” introduced citizen-driven creative projects by the Ars Electronica-related artists Anouk Wipprecht and Yuima Nakazato. Another part was the innovators’ workshop with the Ars Electronica Futurelab’s future narrative tool Bridge 2040.
photo: Sakura Sueyoshi / Nacása & Partners Inc.
photo: Sakura Sueyoshi / Nacása & Partners Inc.
photo: Sakura Sueyoshi / Nacása & Partners Inc.
photo: Sakura Sueyoshi / Nacása & Partners Inc.
photo: Sakura Sueyoshi / Nacása & Partners Inc.
photo: Sakura Sueyoshi / Nacása & Partners Inc.
Talk sessions with players active in Japan’s creative and startup scene rounded out Art as Catalyst. Together, they explored creative questions like What constitutes civic creativity in which the public explores its creative imagination in society? What is the role of art in accelerating innovation? How can we create an economic cycle benefitting society? Themes ranged from “Art that Inspires Innovation” to “The Potential of Art University Startups”. A diverse line-up of artists and innovators like Yuima Nakazato, Anouk Wipprecht, Akiou Kato, Takashi Yokoishi, Alisa Watanabe, Asako Tomura, Hana Saito, Seiichi Saito, Taihei Shii, and Betti Marenko joined members of CCBT and the Ars Electronica Futurelab.
Credits
Ars Electronica: Denise Hirtenfelder, Kyoko Kunoh, Hideaki Ogawa
CCBT: Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture
Artists: Yuima Nakazato in collaboration with Spiber / Kazuhide Sekiyama, Anouk Wipprecht in collaboration with g.tec
Related Projects
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Interested in similar projects? The following Ars Electronica Futurelab projects are related to the ideas and concepts presented here. An overview of all our productions, cooperations and projects can be found in our project archive.
