01 2023 SXSW
2023 SXSW
Digital Nature:
Embracing Pluriversalism
and Inclusivity
In this talk,media artist and researcher Yoichi Ochiai will explore the concept of digital nature and its potential to promote sustainability, inclusivity, and diversity.
Drawing on his deep knowledge of Japanese culture and history, Ochiai will examine the ancient era of Jomon and its influence on Japanese culture, and how traditional Japanese arts and practices can be adapted to the digital age.
He will also discuss the evolution of artificial intelligence and the impact it is having on our society, as well as the intersection of art and technology and how these fields can work together to create new possibilities for creativity and expression.
Throughout his talk, Ochiai will emphasize the importance of finding harmony with digital nature, and using ancient Japanese wisdom to create a more harmonious and diverse world.
He will discuss the role of technology in this process, and how we can approach innovation in a way that promotes ethical and sustainable development. Ultimately, Ochiai's talk will provide a roadmap for creating a more inclusive, sustainable, and harmonious world through the intersection of technology and culture.
INFORMATION
Session Title :
Digital Nature: Embracing Pluriversalism and Inclusivity
Date : Monday, March 13, 2023,
11:30 AM－12:30 PM CST
Place : The LINE Hotel, Topaz Ballroom 1-2-3
Address : 111 East Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78701
https://schedule.sxsw.com/2023/events/PP122652
02 ABOUT
ABOUT
The New Japan Islands is a project that explores and portrays visions and landscapes of the future based on culture and views that are original to Japan. This initiative is brought by a team consisting of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), industries, artists, academics and intellectuals from Japan.
The series of Industrial Revolutions marked its beginning with the invention of steam engine. Now in its 4th stage, the transformation is led by IoT and AI. However, the unconditional condoning of material wealth has engendered environmental destruction, placing earth—the home of humanity—in danger.
Furthermore, in pursuit of efficiencies such as economies of scale, businesses are tending towards monopolization and oligopolization, leading society to be homogenous and intolerant against diversity.
0th Industrial Revolution is a concept keyword that breaks through the limitations of modern capitalism and growth-oriented mindsets. Under this concept we aim to reexamine the merits of the conventional centralized society and mass production processes and suggest that perhaps a shift towards a society where individuals and organization act autonomously may actually bring stability to the environment, including humanity.
Central to the concept are values found in Eastern thoughts, that is, views on nature and harmony. For example, Japan fully embraces the artisan’s techniques and artistry into daily life as we can see in Japanese gardens. Old architecture is designed to harmonize with nature, for example, accepting deteriorations of wood carvings and ceramics in its natural state.The message from Japan is to consider a Nostalgic Future, that is, to revisit the original ways of human life to construct a future that softly connects industry and culture.
03 MEMBER
MEMBER
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
YOICHI OCHIAI
Yoichi Ochiai is a Media Artist, born in 1987. He holds a PhD in Interdisciplinary Information Studies from the University of Tokyo (first to early complete the Interdisciplinary Information Studies program). He is the director of the Digital Nature Development Research Center at the University of Tsukuba, associate professor and research director of the JSTCRESTxDiversity project, an IPA Certified Super Creator/Genius Programmer, and the president of Pixie Dust Technologies.
He has been the assistant to the President of the University of Tsukuba from 2017 - 2019; Member of the Committee on Intellectual Property Strategic Vision Research, Cabinet Office since 2018; Member of the Visionary Council for the "Moonshot R&D System" and Moonshot Ambassador, Cabinet Office; Member of the WG Digital Reform Bill; 2020-2021 Japan Cultural Envoy, and theme business producer of the Osaka-Kansai Expo project.
He has received the World Technology Award in 2015, the Prix Ars Electronica in 2016, the STARTS Prize from the EU; he has received the Laval Virtual Award five times in four consecutive years until 2017, selected as Leaders of Tomorrow by the Zangalen Symposium in Switzerland in 2017, the 2019 SXSW Creative Experience ARROW Award, selected as 2021 MIT Technology Review Innovators Under 35 Japan, 2021 PMI Future 50, Apollo Magazine 40 UNDER 40 ART and TECH, and many other awards in the fields of art and technology.
His solo exhibitions include “Image and Matter (Malaysia, 2016)," "Sehnsucht nach Masse(Tokyo, 2019)," and "Ruminating with the Spirituality" (Leica Ginza, 2019). Other exhibitions include "AI Exhibition (Barbican Centre, UK, 2019)", “Digital Nature (Miraikan, 2020)" and many others. His publications include “The Century of Magic (2015)" and "Digital Nature (2018)". Photograph collections include "Sehnsucht nach masse" (AMANA, 2019). He perceives media art as vernacular folk art (“Mingei” in Japanese) of the digital nature, and under is statement "Confronting the materialization of digital nature, ruminating between the longing and emotion between image and matter” he continues his exploration and expression, freely crossing the boundaries of research and artistic expression.
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
KEIICHI URUGA
After joining the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) in 2003, Keiichi Uruga has been consistently involved in the realization of IT-based innovations, such as IT-based business efficiency improvement in government agencies, IT-based regional development, IoT utilization in manufacturing and other industries, and IT-based distributed energy systems, etc. From 2007, he has been assisting the Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare in planning and leading IT-based solutions to the pension record problem, which has become a social issue in Japan. He also served as the general producer of The New Japan Islands project at SXSW 2019. Currently, as the youngest deputy governor in Japan, he is working to realize a sustainable and world-class regional economy from the perspective of Japan which could be considered an advanced country facing new problems in today's world.
CHIEF DIRECTOR
JIRO YOSHINO
DIRECTOR
KUMIKO KITAMURA (CREATIVE MANAGEMENT)
DIRECTOR
SHINJIRO KOJIMA (OPERATION MANAGEMENT)
DIRECTOR
KIYOMI KITADA (OPERATION MANAGEMENT)
AUDITOR
HIDETOSHI SHIBATA