About Craft × Tech
Overview
Craft x Tech is a new initiative that bridges Japanese traditional crafts with modern ideas and technologies. By exploring the beautiful materials and techniques of traditional crafts from both historical and futuristic perspectives and transforming them into new, unique works of art, it aims to bring new discoveries to the centuries-old history of craftsmanship. Through collaborations between various craft regions and world-renowned designers/artists, as well as developing research and lecture series in collaboration with the University of Tokyo, we aim to foster new demand for traditional crafts, promote talent exchange, and contribute sustainably to Japanese craft industries.
Art Collaboration
We produce collaborations between traditional craft regions and world-class creators. By inviting these creators to the craft regions and engaging in discussions and prototyping with artisans, we create one-of-a-kind collectible art pieces that are presented and sold in limited editions both domestically and internationally.
Lecture Series
In collaboration with the University of Tokyo’s Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, we conduct a special lecture series. These lectures, held in a dialogue format between artisans and creators, discuss the history, present, and future of each craft region while also revealing the behind-the-scenes stories of each collaboration. The aim is to deepen the understanding of traditional crafts as they exist today.
Research
We promote research and development on the fusion of traditional crafts and advanced technologies. By combining the materials and processes of traditional crafts with cutting-edge fabrication techniques and materials science, we aim to pioneer new forms of expression that connect tradition with the future.
Founder, Creative Director
Hideki Yoshimoto
Designer, Creative Director, and Project Associate Professor at the Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology (RCAST), the University of Tokyo. Born in Japan in 1985, Yoshimoto earned an MS degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from the University of Tokyo in 2010 and concluded his doctoral studies in Design Engineering at the Royal College of Art in 2016, concurrently founding the acclaimed design studio Tangent in London. In 2020, he co-founded the Advanced Art Design Lab at RCAST, the University of Tokyo, thereby amplifying his presence across both London and Tokyo. Yoshimoto specializes in the harmonious integration of design and engineering, crafting an array of innovative designs and concepts for globally renowned luxury brands. His expertise spans a diverse spectrum, from technology-driven business ventures to urban development projects. In recent years, he established the international initiative Craft x Tech, bridging traditional Japanese craftsmanship with cutting-edge technology, and has actively pursued collaborations to contribute to the evolution and preservation of Japanese cultural heritage.
Curatorial Director
Maria Cristina Didero
Independent design curator, consultant and author, who collaborated with different publications and magazines, among them Domus and Vogue; she was editor at large for Icon Design and Milan editor for Wallpaper magazine. Didero has consulted for companies such as Vitra, Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Valextra among others. Based in Milan, she works internationally, curating exhibitions: some of her projects include Nendo: The Space in Between and The Conversation Show at the Holon Design Museum, Israel; FUN HOUSE by Snarkitecture at National Building Museum, Washington D.C.; SuperDesign on Italian radical design, R&Company, NY; Vegan Design - or the Art of Reduction by Erez Nevi and The Fish and The Crowd by Carlo Massoud, MDW. In 2020 she was in charge of the public program for Supersalone by Stefano Boeri, in 2022 she was appointed Curatorial Director of Design Miami/, presented a project at MK&G in Hamburg, titled Ask Me if I Believe in the Future and a solo show by Mathieu Lehanneur titled The Inventory of Life, at Triennale Milano. For MDW 2023, she co-curated with Richard Hutten Droog30 for the 30th anniversary of Droog Design, with Tony Chambers Future Impact for Singapore Design Council and A Future for the Past for on entropy.
Craft x Tech Association
-
Founder / Creative Director
Hideki Yoshimoto
-
Managing Director
Keita Sato
-
Director
Shinichi Ohnuma
-
Director
Kenji Goto
-
Director
Toshiki Sato
-
Manager
Kentaro Ueno
-
Curatorial Director
Maria Cristina Didero
Management Team
-
Project Manager
Miki Sumida
-
Project Manager
Ai Hamaguchi
-
Project Manager
Eri Sasaki
-
Project Manager
Kana Kubota
-
Production Manager
Akane Kawahara
-
PR Manager
Yuko Kiyotake
-
PR Manager
Masumi Yamamoto