On February 6, 2025, a talk event entitled “Weaving Time and Place, Ecology of Empathy” was held in connection with the exhibition “DANCING WITH ALL: The Ecology of Empathy” currently being held at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa.
Junichi Okuyama, chairman of the executive committee of Rediscover project, also spoke at this event.
The Rediscover project is currently exhibiting at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, a work that combines ceramic pieces damaged in the earthquake or on the verge of being discarded as substandard with Wajima-nuri techniques.
A year has passed since the Noto Peninsula earthquake, but the traces of the disaster remain strong. Under these circumstances, people are beginning to emphasize the importance of “creative reconstruction” that leads to a better future, rather than mere restoration. At this event, participants exchanged opinions on how art can be connected to the earthquake and other historical events, and discussed the importance of preserving them as memories with the speakers.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

Report on the Talk Session “Creating and Connecting: From the Noto Peninsula Earthquake

Moderator

Masaharu Fujiyoshi (Chief Editor, Forbes JAPAN)

Panelists

Robert Campbell (Scholar of Japanese Literature)
Yuko Hasegawa (Director, 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa)
Yasuyuki Yoshida (Representative of “Don’t Stop Sake in Noto! Representative)
Junichi Okuyama (Representative of CACL / Rediscover project)

Creative Reconstruction from the Perspective of Each Party

From Mr. Fujiyoshi, Editor-in-Chief, Forbes JAPAN

Mr. Fujiyoshi says, “The land area of Japan is less than 0.1% of the entire earth’s surface. Nevertheless, more than half of all earthquakes of intensity 7 or greater occur in Japan. This country has been repeatedly breaking down and creating for a long time,” he said, referring to Japan’s unique history of coexistence with earthquakes. The relationship between natural disasters and creation is not limited to mere destruction and restoration, but has led to new cultural activities.

■From Robert Campbell, scholar of Japanese literature

Under the key phrase, “Broken things do not go far,” Robert Campbell asked, “Do broken things just become industrial waste and are we just going to pay to throw them away? In Japan, too, cities have been burned down and destroyed since the Warring States Period, and each time they have been created anew. Bullets and shrapnel picked up when the bodies were collected are attached to the remains of victims displayed in churches in Ukraine,” he said, citing an example, ”Keep or nurture the important things and people nearby so that they are not forgotten. This will become a sign again,” he said.

■From Ms. Hasegawa, Director of 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa

Director Hasegawa introduced a work by Iranian artist Monir Furmanfarmaian crafted with mirror fragments. She also told us a story she had heard: “In the 16th century, when the king of Iran had a mirror brought from Venice, it was shattered during transportation. The king considered disposing of it, but his vizier suggested, ‘Let’s not throw it away, but create a new culture from it. He told us an anecdote: “This was the birth of the mirror mosaic.

She also mentioned this exhibition, “DANCING WITH ALL: The Ecology of Empathy” and asked what we can do in the face of nature’s loss due to environmental destruction and climate change. He said, “We should not criticize, but look for common ground with nature and seek the possibility of symbiosis, matching our rhythms with each other’s. As a symbol of this, she explained that the theme of the exhibition is to build a dance-like relationship without words.

The exhibition actually features a number of works that resonate with nature and people, as well as art that finds new value in broken things, providing a place for visitors to confront the works from their own perspectives.

I was impressed by the words of the curator, Ms. Hasegawa: “I believe that creative minds and culture are born out of what is right in front of our eyes.

■”Don’t Stop Sake in Noto! From Mr. Yoshida, Representative

Mr. Yoshida introduced a project to support sake breweries in Noto damaged by the earthquake, “Don’t stop Noto’s sake! a project to support sake breweries in Noto that were damaged by the earthquake and tsunami. Of the 11 sake breweries in Okunoto, 9 were completely destroyed, and the brewery damaged by the 2023 earthquake was completely destroyed by the 2024 earthquake. From there, we are working to rescue the moromi and raw sake, and using crowdfunding to protect the sake distribution system,” he introduced.

Sake and art are both works of art born out of local culture and tradition. Because we live in a disaster-prone country, there is more to creation than just putting things back together again after they have been damaged,” he said.

■From Okuyama, Rediscover Project Executive Committee Chairman

Okuyama introduced the Rediscover project, in which ceramics and porcelain damaged by the earthquake, such as Suzu-yaki and Kutani-yaki, and considered substandard, are fused together with Wajima-nuri techniques and sublimated into new works of art. The project pursues a “creative restoration” that is not about restoring things to their original state, but rather pursuing a new form of expression.

As for the background to the launch of the project, he explained that he did not want to end the work of Wajima-nuri artists who were displaced by the earthquake and tsunami. He also explained that his experience in the field of welfare for the disabled, in which he had been involved for many years, had led him to see the overlap between the social structure of ceramic pieces, which are discarded because they are substandard even if slightly different, and people with disabilities or intractable diseases, who are unable to work and are excluded from society.

He also mentioned that ceramic shards have new possibilities as building materials, and introduced an example of a terrazzo bench made of marble scraps and Kutani porcelain shards. He also introduced an example of a terrazzo bench made of marble scraps and Kutani Yaki porcelain shards.

In closing, Robert Campbell’s words left a deep impression on me.

It is important to be aware of the small fragments that are right in front of us. From small fragments, a big world will expand.”

-Robert Campbell

The exhibition “DANCING WITH ALL: The Ecology of Empathy” will be on view through March 16.

There will be an exhibition of works by Rediscover project, so please come and visit us. Please check the official website for details.

21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa Website:
https://www.kanazawa21.jp/
CACL Website: https://cacl.jp/en/
Rediscover project Website: https://rediscoverproject.jp/en/