Tohoku Project 2024

Craft x Tech is a new initiative to bridge the gap between traditional Japanese craft and contemporary ideas and technologies. The goal is to explore the beautiful materials and techniques of crafts from both historical and future perspectives, and to bring new discoveries to traditional crafts that have a history of hundreds of years. To curate collaborations that transcend time and borders to create unique art pieces that communicate new aspects of Japanese culture in the world’s top art and design scene.

The craft-producing districts for the inaugural edition of Craft x Tech are from the six prefectures of the Tohoku (north-east) region of Japan. The participating craftspeople are producers of Tsugaru-Nuri lacquerware (from Aomori prefecture), Kawatsura-Shikki lacquerware (from Akita prefecture), Nambu-Tekki ironware (from Iwate prefecture), Sendai-Tansu cabinet making (from Miyagi prefecture), Oitama-Tsumugi textile (from Yamagata prefecture) and Aizu-Hongo-Yaki pottery (from Fukushima prefecture).

The designers who are collaborating with these master crafts producers are Sabine Marcelis, Azusa Murakami and Alexander Groves (Studio SWINE), Ini Archibong, Yoichi Ochiai, Hideki Yoshimoto, and Michael Young. Maria Cristina Didero joins as curational director.