Kyoto Pavilion Opening Activities

4th August 2023

On the Road of Technological Creativity – A Talk by Mr. Yoshiaki Sawabe
Date: Friday, August 4, 2023
Time: 15:00-16:00
Intended Audience: General public interested in the technology and creative industries
Number of Attendees: 40
Language: Japanese (with Cantonese translation)
Venue: Tap Seac Gallery, No. 95 Avenida do Conselheiro Ferreira de Almeida
Welcome to participate on site.

Overview of the talk:
Mr. Sawabe was born in Tokyo in 1973. He enrolled in Kyoto Institute of Technology but was involved in a motorcycle accident at the age of 18, which left him paralyzed. After returning to school, he started his own business at the age of 24. He served as an advisor to the Tokyo Olympic Organizing Committee and designed the medals and the concept phrase "POSITIVE SWITCH" for the Rio Paralympics.

He successfully planned an immersive projection performance starring Ichikawa Ebizo, which became the first sold-out performance in the history of Kabuki-za; using AI technology, he presented a large-scale light and shadow performance at the World Heritage Site, the Nijo Castle in Kyoto; and using digital technology, he created a virtual Japan Pavilion at the 2020 Dubai World Expo. He has developed the language system for the robot Pepper, VR content for the game "Dragon Quest," and actively promotes the application of electronic technology in visual arts.

In this talk, Mr. Yoshaki Sawabe will share his ups and downs in life, telling his entrepreneurial story in the technology and creative industries, and discussing his views and imagination on cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence.

Yoshiaki Sawabe, President of the 1→10, Inc. ( one to ten )
Lively Inspiration - A Talk by Artist Yujiro Ueno
Date: Friday, August 4, 2023
Time: 16:00-17:00
Intended Audience: General public interested in Japanese art
Number of Attendees: 40
Language: English (with Cantonese translation)
Venue: Tap Seac Gallery, No. 95 Avenida do Conselheiro Ferreira de Almeida
Welcome to participate on site.

Overview of the talk:
Yujiro Ueno was born in Kyoto and is a young artist who has won numerous awards in Japan and around the world in recent years. He is deeply influenced by Eastern ink painting, Western Impressionism, and Japanese woodblock prints. He excels at depicting traditional East Asian dragon, tiger, and bird images, exploring the fluctuations of "ki"(energy) within them, as well as the continuous flow of time and matter that is constantly creating and disappearing.

In this sharing session, Ueno will share his personal journey in art creation, providing experiences that can be referenced by young people who also aspire to make painting their profession. He will also share his creative ideas and habits, allowing everyone to experience the process of how art is born.

Yujiro Ueno, The Participating Artist of Kyoto Pavilion