#Japan #Tokyo #CCBT #Artist Fellow #Art Incubation

Five New Artist Fellows at CCBT for 2025

The Civic Creative Base Tokyo (CCBT) recently announced the selection of five talented artist fellows for its 2025 Art Incubation Program. As part of this initiative, CCBT partners with artists to drive social change through innovative creative processes and public engagement. This year's program focuses on exploring ideas around the theme of "Future Commons," encouraging diverse narratives and actions that engage both community and technology.

Selection Process and Criteria

The selection process for the artist fellows involved a rigorous evaluation of 122 applications. The theme, "Future Commons," aimed at fostering creative activities that explore the societal and individual aspects of our lives within new digital and ecological frameworks. The selection was conducted by a panel of seven judges who evaluated each proposal based on its originality and potential impact, resulting in a low acceptance rate of just 4%.

The selected fellows for 2025 are:

• - Maki Ueda
• - Yuma Kishi
• - Itsuki Doi
• - Sakiko Fujishima
• - Shota Yamauchi

These artists are set to embark on projects that challenge conventional perspectives on community, ecology, and technology.

Overview of the Selected Fellow Projects

1. Maki Ueda: Visualizing Invisible Air
Ueda's project aims to make the invisible aspects of air, such as smells and its implications for biodiversity, tangible and experiential. By utilizing technology to visualize olfactory experiences, Ueda seeks to foster a deeper connection to our environment through a series of workshops and installations.

2. Yuma Kishi: Botanical Intelligence
Kishi plans to explore the relationship between AI and nature by developing a new form of intelligence based on plant perception. His work will involve the collection of environmental data and its transformation into audiovisual experiences, engaging audiences in the definition of shared natural resources.

3. Itsuki Doi: Weather
Doi will focus on creating a citizen-based network to collect microclimate data using sensors. This initiative aims to highlight the subtle aspects of urban weather through artistic installations, encouraging a rethinking of how we experience our environment in a digital age.

4. Sakiko Fujishima: Koe no Quest
Fujishima's project will manifest as an interactive game that visualizes the voices hidden within urban environments. By creating dialogues between avatars derived from real residents' narratives, she seeks to reveal unspoken challenges and confrontations faced by individuals living in cities.

5. Shota Yamauchi: Encountering the Unknown
Yamauchi plans an installation exploring communication that transcends linguistic boundaries by introducing humanoid elements to natural settings. The aim is to provoke a philosophical inquiry into our connections with other forms of existence.

Each artist will work closely with a diverse set of mentors, including researchers and technologists, to bring their projects to fruition. The CCBT provides significant support in the form of funding, workspace, and expertise in various fields.

Engaging the Community

CCBT's initiative not only nurtures artistic development but also emphasizes public participation. Through interactive workshops, community events, and exhibitions, the artists aim to inspire citizens and foster an environment of co-creation. This collaborative spirit is seen as essential in crafting innovative approaches to dealing with contemporary societal issues.

The Impact of Previous Fellowships

The previous cohorts have achieved notable success, with projects being showcased internationally. These experiences emphasize CCBT's role as a breeding ground for new ideas and transformative artistic expressions that respond to the needs and complexities of urban life.

CCBT's Art Incubation Program continues to position Tokyo as a hub for artistic innovation, challenging both creators and citizens to rethink their connection to their environment and each other. With the selected artists' groundbreaking projects, we can expect the cycle of creativity and collaboration to flourish in the years to come. Keep an eye out for future developments and exhibition announcements as these artists embark on their journeys.

Conclusion

With the announcement of the 2025 artist fellows, CCBT stands at the forefront of integrating creativity with technology and community engagement, promising exciting advancements in the realm of art and social change. This initiative not only transforms the artists’ practices but also enriches the cultural tapestry of Tokyo and beyond.