21_21

21_21 DESIGN SIGHT will dedicate six days, beginning on July 26 to a special program focusing on culture as shaped by the people of the Tohoku region.

In the wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake, there have been many thought-provoking events as well as new discoveries. One, has been the power of the spirit of craftsmanship to sustain the people of the Tohoku region in a time of great crisis. In a trying environment marked by a long snowy season, the people of this region have always striven to live in harmony with nature, by putting their creativity to use, making beautiful and powerful items for daily use.

Muneyoshi Yanagi once described the Tohoku region as, "a land of handmade work that continues to preserve a wealth of things only possible in Japan." The knowledge of craftsmanship and techniques of traditional handmade crafts passed down and refined for generations, have paved the way for technologies that now support our society today.

"Food, clothing, and shelter" are the essentials of life. Issey Miyake, one of the 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT directors has organized a program that focuses upon "clothing" and some of the many essential articles produced by the Tohoku Region. Miyake's longstanding relationship with the Tohoku Region nurtured through his clothing design has given him a unique understanding of and perspective from which to comment upon and try to harness the "spirit" of Tohoku.

This "spirit" is something we must cherish; and yet is also something from which we have detached ourselves in an era of excessive consumption. It lives on in the energy and rich history of craftsmanship of this region. It also may prove to be the spark of hope that will guide us all, going forward. While the exhibition is on view guests from various fields will come to 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT as a way to pay homage to the culture and spirit of the Tohoku region through cultural exhibits. video projections as well as daily talk sessions, public art productions, poetry readings, and musical performances.