Craft x Tech is an initiative that bridges the gap between traditional Japanese craft and contemporary technology. The aim is to create unique works of art that express the historical significance and future potential of beautiful materials and techniques. Craft x Tech has selected respected designers and artists to bring new insights to these centuries-old crafts.
The inaugural edition of Craft x Tech was presented in Tokyo. It featured inventive creations such as a pod-like sculpture that emits sound when touched, a tea room with safflower-dyed silk walls, and an LED-lit ceramic and aluminium artwork. A key element of Craft x Tech is matching six international creators, such as Studio Swine and Sabine Marcelis, with six regional craft traditions from Tohoku. The result is six limited-edition artworks in materials such as textiles, ceramics, wood and lacquer, enhanced with contemporary touches such as minimalist lines, AI technology and music speakers.
The project, conceived by Hideki Yoshimoto, founder of the design studio Tangent, aims to introduce Japan’s traditional crafts to a contemporary audience by combining historical heritage with modern technology. Studio Swine, for example, collaborated with artisans from Sendai to create a structure combining lacquered surfaces and metal grid lines. Yoichi Ochiai integrated AI into a portable tea room with red silk walls dyed using traditional safflower techniques, symbolising the intersection of digital nature and traditional spaces.
Craft x Tech showcases the beauty and power of Japan’s traditional crafts through innovative artworks, ensuring that these techniques thrive in the modern age. Following its launch in Tokyo, the project’s presentation at Design Miami Basel will highlight its international reach and ambition. The Tokyo exhibition at Kudan House, a century-old mansion, marked its debut and is now moving to Design Miami Basel from June 11th to June 16th, 2024.
All photography courtesy of CRAFT X TECH
