21_21 DESIGN SIGHT

21_21 DESIGN SIGHT will hold an exhibition on the theme of "Trees," March 7 to June 15, 2025.

What is our understanding of trees? How extensive is our knowledge of the current state of forests, and of the requirements of fostering them? Trees are indispensable to daily life, whether in our homes, our cities, or far away in the mountains. Trees are close to us and may seem familiar, but at the same time, they can be distant and removed. Such was the starting point for this exhibition. Fumihiko Sano, the invited Exhibition Director, has wide relevant experience. He followed an apprenticeship as a "sukiya" carpenter under atelier master Sotoji Nakamura, before becoming independent. Sano's creative activities range across architecture, art and design.

The harsh reality is that some trees forested over decades or even centuries, hardly now command an economically viable price. Interested parties are making concerted efforts to confront and deal with this issue in the long term, and with a sense of awe in relation to trees themselves. To ponder trees, once again, is to give our gaze a more lofty and enduring perspective.

This exhibition will address issues related to the environments of trees, woods and forests from a variety of perspectives. It considers trees' relationship with humankind.