Japan and Southern Estonia form unexpected partnership in Tartu's 2024 European Capital of Culture, finding common ground.
In an unexpected twist of events, Japan and Estonia have formed an unusual camaraderie, despite being separated by over 8,000 kilometres and seven time zones. These two contrasting nations have become a source of inspiration for artists, curators, and cultural organizers in their respective countries, with their unique cultures and creative spirit shining through in their work. The European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024 program is set to host a jaw-dropping year-long celebration of creativity, highlighted by numerous projects born from collaborations between Estonian and Japanese creatives.
Now, this relationship didn't just sprout up out of nowhere. It's all thanks to Japanese cultural policies aiming to promote and spread their culture worldwide. Various organizations like the EU-Japan Fest have been established to support cultural exchange between the European Union and Japan, providing funding to various European Capitals of Culture and other meaningful cultural collaborations between Europe and Japan since the 90s.
But the connections to Japan in the program didn't happen by accident; they developed organically based on artistic decisions. Kati Torp, the Tartu 2024 artistic director, highlights this point, saying that if you examine the program, you'll see the fruits of years of labor. All of the major Japanese artists or projects have an existing connection to Estonia (source: Kati Torp).
One of the most exciting highlights of the European Capital of Culture year in Southern Estonia is undoubtedly Japan's leading electronic music composer and visual artist Ryoji Ikeda's solo exhibition at the Estonian National Museum. The highly anticipated audiovisual experience, set to open in November, isn't Ikeda's first time exhibiting his work in the country (source: Kati Torp).
Ikeda's work revolves around science, so it makes sense that the Tartu 2024 team decided to work together again in the university town of Tartu. Additionally, one of Ikeda's close friends, Tsuyoshi Tane, was one of the architects of the new Estonian National Museum building. Tane is also involved with the project and is working with Ikeda to ensure that his works are a flawless fit within the space (source: Kati Torp).
Ikeda will create two new works specifically for Tartu 2024: an installation based on his collaboration with the Estonian Biobank - one of the two branches of the University of Tartu Institute of Genomics; and a sound installation created in collaboration with the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir. Plus, one artwork that already exists, the audiovisual installation "data-verse," will be exhibited (source: Kati Torp).
Art can often express things that are difficult to communicate. Ikeda works with data from the Institute of Genomics' biobank and displays it with large-scale room installations. A new music piece written by Ikeda will also be performed by the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir. Ikeda isn't a classically trained composer; rather, he's an electronic musician who usually works alone. This is his first collaboration with a professional choir and conductor Tonu Kaljuste (source: Kati Torp).
A unique festival celebrating the art of idling, or "molutamine" in Estonian, takes place in Võru County in Southern Estonia. Aigu Om (meaning "there is time" or "take time" in Võro language) is bigger than ever during the European Capital of Culture year, with activities taking place in three parishes over a period of a week. The event's organizer, Estonian folk singer-songwriter Mari Kalkun, said the focus this year is on Japan and Japanese culture (source: Mari Kalkun).
Aigu Om is not a traditional festival with big stages and masses. It's a community music-word-forest event taking place in natural environments, forests, and community spaces scattered in small villages where everyone can contribute (source: event's organizer).
The festival aims to identify points of intersection between the two cultures. Forest practitioners from both countries, including writer Valdur Mikita, Japanologist Alari Allik, performance artist Daizaburo Sakamoto, and dendrologist Yutaka Miura, will meet in Pähni forest in Rõuge parish. Visitors will have the opportunity to experience the most significant cultural expressions of both countries, from forest contemplation practices to smoke saunas, and witness collaborative works by representatives of both cultural spheres (source: event's organizer).
There's a mutual interest and understanding between Japan and Estonia, with much talk about the shared fondness for nature and technology. But what do artists and cultural organizers seek in far-off lands remains a question.
Mari Kalkun, the event's organizer, feels that the fundamentals of both cultures share a similarity: "When I visit Japan, I always feel as if I am on another planet. At the same time, I've always believed that our fundamental nature is similar, whether it's a belief in nature's spirituality or unusual pairings of technology and traditions. That primitiveness and modernism are merged" (source: Mari Kalkun).
It's clear that Tartu and Southern Estonia benefit from the positive relations with Japanese artists and organizations. During Tartu 2024, you can experience:
- Japanese forest bathing experience: 18 May, 29 June, 27 July, 17 August in Nõo parish
- Shiro Takatani/Dumb Type theatre play "Tangent" – 4-5 June in Tartu
- Aigu om! (Time Enough!) – 15-21 July, in Rõuge, Võru, and Antsla parish
- A Celebration of the Heavenly grounds – 16-25 August, in Põlva parish
- Refresh. Estonian, Lithuanian, and Japanese textile art – 19 August – 20 September in Tartu
- Performative installation "Peal kiri peal" – 12, 14 September in Viljandi
- Ryoji Ikeda's solo exhibition – 2 November – 2 March in Tartu
- The unusual camaraderie between Japan and Estonia has been a source of inspiration for artists, curators, and cultural organizers in both countries.
- The European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024 program is hosting a year-long celebration of creativity, with numerous projects born from collaborations between Estonian and Japanese creatives.
- Japanese cultural policies aim to promote and spread their culture worldwide, and organizations like the EU-Japan Fest have been established to support cultural exchange between the European Union and Japan.
- Kati Torp, the Tartu 2024 artistic director, highlights that the connections to Japan in the program developed organically based on artistic decisions.
- Ryoji Ikeda, a leading electronic music composer and visual artist from Japan, is set to have a solo exhibition at the Estonian National Museum as part of the European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024.
- Ikeda's work is often focused on science, so it makes sense that the Tartu 2024 team decided to work together again in the university town of Tartu, where the Estonian National Museum is located.
- Ikeda will create two new works specifically for Tartu 2024, one of which is an installation based on his collaboration with the Estonian Biobank.
- Another artwork that already exists, the audiovisual installation "data-verse," will also be exhibited as part of Tartu 2024.
- A unique festival celebrating the art of idling, called Aigu Om, takes place in Võru County in Southern Estonia, with a focus on Japanese culture during the European Capital of Culture year.
- The festival aims to identify points of intersection between the two cultures, and visitors will have the opportunity to experience collaborative works by representatives of both cultural spheres.
- In 2024, visitors to Tartu can also experience a Japanese forest bathing experience, a theater play by Shiro Takatani/Dumb Type, and performative installations by Estonian, Lithuanian, and Japanese textile artists.
- Mari Kalkun, the event's organizer, believes that the fundamentals of both Japanese and Estonian cultures share a similarity, with a shared fondness for nature and technology.
