March 9, 2022
Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (Kavli IPMU)

This exhibition will showcase and share the work being carried out by a variety of modern artists together with researchers who have been looking at Questions since July last year.

Because there is no finish, this exhibition will show the raw in-progress exchange of ideas. We hope this exhibition will help everyone think about what questions we strive to answer, how should we think, and maybe find a way to think like our experts.

Platform 13 of JR Ueno station is located on the furthest side of the station's comb-shaped platforms. We hope the European feel of the terminal station combined with its open space will spark people to connect with our human universality. We hope to see you there.

We also welcome any new researchers or artists interested in joining this project in the upcoming fiscal year. We aim to create an opportunity to explore the cross between science, art and society (us). Please feel free to approach us.

Exhibition Summary

Exhibition title: Fundamentalz Festival minimini
Date: 19 (Sat) - 25 (Fri) March, 2022
Exhibition hours: 10:00 - 18:00 (with the exception of March 19 and 22, when the exhibition will open at Noon, and March 20 and 24, when the exhibition will close at 15:00)
Venue: JR Ueno Station Platform 13 (Ueno 7-chome, Taito ward, Tokyo)
Admission: Free*
Host: Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (Kavli IPMU), the University of Tokyo
Co-host: Japan Association of Communication for Science and Technology (JACST)
Support: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS))
Cooperation: Osaka University School of Science, RIKEN Interdisciplinary Theoretical and Mathematical Sciences Program, and East Japan Railway Company
* If you entering Ueno station from outside, you will need to purchase an admission ticket (140JPY) from a ticket machine or through the "タッチでエキナカ (Touch de Ekinaka)" service for IC cards to enter the station.

Website: https://fundamentalz.jp
Enquiries: Press office, Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (Kavli IPMU), the University of Tokyo
Tel: +81-04-7136-5981 (Project officer: Aya Tsuboi), E-mail: press_at_ipmu.jp, Fax: +81-04-7136-4941
*Please change _at_ to @

About the Exhibition (from the project team)

We humans respect individual diversity, and in general we live differently every day. At the same time, we try to find connections between individual and different through social media, solidarity or publicly.

Amidst this, what does it mean for an Artist and a Scientist to connect, and start to build something. Beyond the methods, output, mannerisms, and so many more layers, what if these two individuals could make a real connection. Would that not lead from something individual & general, to something true & universal. Then what if they opened that opportunity to us (people in society). Would that not lead to a new connection for us (society), away from individual & general, and towards truth & universality, through science and art.

This exhibition is an attempt to connect us to universality, through introducing the work being carried out by artists and researchers.

Because this work will take time to complete, this exhibition will showcase the raw in-progress exchange between an artist and researcher. The exchanges to find our more about the other, to become aware of each other's differences, and the deep thoughts going on during their meetings leading to universality, which may in turn also spark something in us to change as well. We look forward to seeing you there.

* This exhibition is funded by Kakenhi "The study of public relations for the benefit of science promotion by cooperating with adjacent disciplines" (21H04053) from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)

Participating Artists and Researchers

Artsists

Ushio, Azu Kimura, Mayumi Kuronuma, Kenichi Sawazaki, Saki Furuya, Koji Maekawa, Kazuaki Yamane, Nerhol

Researchers

Mutsuo Ishikawa (medical engineering, Toin Yokohama University), Tomoharu Ishizu (neuroaesthetics, Kansai University), Toshiaki Ichinose (urban environmental studies, National Institute for Environmental Studies), Shuichiro Tomita (developmental biology, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization), Hiraku Nakajima (geometric representation theory, Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe), Takahiro Hatano (non-equilibrium physics, Osaka University), Nobuaki Mizumoto (behavioral ecology, OIST), Taketoshi Minato (surface interface science, Institute for Molecular Science), Hannes Raebiger (solid state physics, Yokohama National University)

Highlights of the Exhibition

Work from 15 groups of researchers and artists on display

Since July last year, 17 artists and researchers, who would otherwise never would have met one another, have formed 15 pairs and groups to work together. Their work will take time to complete, but this exhibition will showcase the raw in-progress exchange between an artist and researcher, which they will share with us (society). By witnessing their progress, something may spark in us that lead to universality, and help us take a step in the same direction.

What Questions are being discussed

The fields the researchers study and the media that the artists perform in are diverse. So the questions these groups have chosen are also diverse. A common factor in several of the groups is an element to explore heterogeneity and homogeneity. The answer to their questions are still unknown, but discussions are moving.

Platform 13, Ueno station

The venue for this exhibition is located on the furthest side of the station's comb-shaped platforms. There is a European feel to the terminal station. Once called the gateway to the north of Japan, the station now welcomes trains from all over. We hope the open space of our venue will spark people to connect with our human universality. We hope to see you there.

Variety of programs for different audiences (online events)

Three pre-events have been planned to cater to three different audiences - artists, researchers, and students/adults. Each event will include a discussion by different experts. In the Art event, we will have three art experts. In the Science event we will have researchers talk about connecting fundamental science with society. In the Students/Adults event, we will have three business experts about knowledge (science, humanities, social sciences, art) and how it ties in with society. The Art and Science events have already finished, but you can still watch the video record of the events on YouTube.

During the exhibition period, we will also have events for elementary school children, a talk event between a researcher and artist, a look at the exhibition through the eyes of a philosophy expert, and a science cafe event.

Exhibition setup

The 19 exhibits will include still, three-dimensional, installation, video, and documentation works. They will all be displayed on Platform 13 at Ueno station.
We will also play video footage from the Fundamentalz Bazaar, which took place in June last year.

Program Information

NEW

Pre-events

Three online pre-events have been planned to cater to three different audiences - artists, researchers, and students/adults. Each event will include a discussion by different experts. Free admission. Registration is not required.

Note: The Art and Science events have already finished, but you can still watch the video record of the events on YouTube.

ART "The Mystery of Fine Arts"
Time & Date: 19:00 - 20:30, 15 February (Tue)
Speakers: Ryo Sawayama (art critic), Takuya Nakao (fine art studies), Futoshi Hoshino (aesthetics)
https://www.fundamentalz.jp/post/20220215-festival-pre01

SOCIETY "Making Use of Knowledge: Thinking of Value"
Time & Date: 19:00 - 20:30, 25 February (Fri)
Speakers: Tetsuhiko Kato (Toitobi representative), Yuya Nishimura (Mira Tuku board of directors representative, Essence representatives director), Ryunosuke Fukai (Coten inc representative)
https://www.fundamentalz.jp/post/20220225-festival-pre02

SCIENCE "Deep Learning and Bridging: The Possibility of Fundamental Science"
Time & Date: 08:00 - 09:30, 10 March (Thu)
Speakers: Makiko Sasada (Associate Professor, Graduate School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Tokyo), Tetsuo Hatsuda (Program Director, Interdisciplinary Theoretical and Mathematical Sciences Program, RIKEN), Jyuichi Yamagiwa (Director, Research Institute for Humanity and Nature)
https://www.fundamentalz.jp/post/20220310-festival-pre03

Events during exhibition

Online Chat with Participating Researchers and Artists: Every day at 19:00 between 19 - 25 March. Go to the Fundamentalz website for full details. No registration required. Free admission.
TALK A
Introduction to the exhibits, and a discussion between a researcher, artist, and philosopher.
TALK B
A researcher and artist look back on their exhibit record.
SCIENCE CAFE
A participating researcher will talk about the science of their work for a general audience.
CHILDREN'S ONLINE PROGRAM
Recommended for elementary school students. 15 children per round. Pre-registration is required. Free admission. Presented by LITTLE ARTISTS LEAGUE

Fundamentalz Festival mini Kids Art Exhibition
Time & Date: 10:00 - 12:00, 19 March (Sat)
Kids Workshop: Learn from Researchers and Artists (Fractals exercise)
Time & Date: 15:00 - 16:00, 21 March (Mon)
Teacher: Hiroki Sumi (random, elementary dynamical system, fractals expert), Yasuo Nomura

About the Fundamentalz Program

Fundamentalz is the name given to researchers working at the cutting edge of their field and modern artists, working to find universality.
(1) We provide an environment that allows for a diverse range of fundamentalz to exchange opinions
(2) Recognizing the importance of reaching over what is in front of our eyes and finding universality, and sharing that with us (society)
This program aims to carry out these two points in order to re-connect the separated groups of science, art and society, and create something new. The program was established in 2020 by a subcommittee of JACST.

About the Japan Association of Communication for Science and Technology (JACST)

Established in 2007 as the Japan Association of Communication for Science and Technology (JACST), the organization consists of 200 members engaged in public relations in over 80 science institutions. JACST is an independent, mutual cooperation association where members share best practices, support their mutual development, and grow as a community. JACT’s subcommittee for “the study of public relations for the benefit of science promotion by cooperating with adjacent disciplines” consists of public relations officers and the University Research Administrators; the Graduate School of Science, Osaka University; the Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (Kavli IPMU); the National Institutes for the Humanities (NIHU); the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (RIHN); and, the RIKEN Center for Brain Science (CBS). Adjacent disciplines include the arts and philosophy.

About the Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (Kavli IPMU)

In 2007, the Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (IPMU) was incorporated by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) as a World Premiere International Research Center Initiative (WPI) within the University of Tokyo. Around 100 researchers in three fields—mathematics, physics, and cosmology—gather there from around the world to collaborate. Together, they seek answers to five mysteries about the universe: what is it made of; how did it begin; what is its fate; what are the laws that govern it; why do we exist? In 2012, IPMU become the Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (Kavli IPMU) following an endowment by the Kavli Foundation in the United States. Researchers at the Kavli IPMU have produced numerous internationally co-authored papers that have been citied widely. Hirosi Ooguri, who has specialized in particle physics since 2018, is the institute’s director.

Enquiries

Aya Tsuboi
Public relations officer
Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (Kavli IPMU) /
JACST (the study of public relations for the benefit of science promotion by cooperating with adjacent disciplines, subcommittee) Chair
E-mail: contact_at_fundamentalz.jp
TEL: +81-04-7136-5981
Please change * _at_ to @

Fundamentalz website and social media channels

Website: https://fundamentalz.jp
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fundamentalz.B
Twitter: http://twitter.com/fundamentalz_B
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ファンダメンタルズ
Instagram: http://instagram.com/fundamentalz_B

MARCH 19 (SAT) - 25 (FRI) Fundamentalz Festival mini: An Exhibition of work by Artists and Researchers