statement
When we think about the future, we often imagine "time that hasn't arrived yet" or "the world that awaits us." But is the future truly only ahead? Even the ocean landscape before us today exists as a result of someone's past vision and choices. Considering this, the future isn't something far away, but rather an extension of the present, a time that has already begun.
Even so, it's not easy for us to truly grasp the future. The future of the ocean is even more so. The ocean is vast, changes slowly, and is somewhat detached from our daily lives. Even when problems or changes occur, we sometimes feel as if they are events unrelated to us. The ocean has always been, and always will be, something that is treated as merely a background element, without being deeply considered.
However, the sea is by no means immutable. Human activities such as fishing, ports, urban development, tourism, and logistics have gradually changed the appearance of the sea. And these changes in the sea affect our lives themselves, including food, work, the environment, and culture. A clean sea, a dangerous sea, a sea of resources, a sea of playground. The sea always holds multiple meanings.
The exhibition "The Future of the Sea" does not offer a single answer or ideal vision. It explores different perspectives on how to build coastal cities, the voices of people, the imaginations of children, and the passage of time depicted in films. Each of these leads to a different gateway to the future, and at the same time, prompts us to question where we stand now. The future is not a predetermined path, but something that changes shape as we continue to make choices.
Thinking about the future isn't about imagining a distant world. It's about reflecting on what we value now, what we've overlooked, and what choices we'll make going forward. The future of the ocean, too, isn't a predetermined, finished form decided by someone else; it will change depending on how we interact with it.
We hope this exhibition will be a place where you can reflect on yourself through the keyword of the future of the ocean and find a step towards the future.
MOON
Founder: Koudai Taguchi
Exhibition contents
UMI2050
"UMI2050" is an attempt to envision the future of Japan's coastal regions in 2050. Dot Architects and Osore Research, led by Shogo Onodera Architects, will depict the relationship between cities and the sea in the future of 2050.
UMI2050 Concept
Wang Yue 2050 / Dot Architects
Tokyo 2050 / Osore Research
Interview: "Hearing about the future of the ocean"
We interviewed artists, film directors, and musicians who create works and conduct research rooted in the ocean, asking them about "the future of the sea."
Eli Horn (artist)
Sonoko Sato (film director)
Takashi Kokubo (environmental musician, sound designer)
Subodh Kerkar (marine artist)
Yuko Tajima (Marine Mammalian)
Fram Kitagawa (Art Director)
This is a series of essays about travel and film, in which filmmaker Yusuke Fukuhara selects works that resonate with the theme of the exhibition, visits the filming locations, and expresses his thoughts and experiences about the sea from places where image and reality, past and present, overlap.
Living with the Sea - The Future of Kesennuma
This report details the marine education program that has been conducted in Kesennuma City, Miyagi Prefecture for 13 years, including the practices, experiences, and significance of the program, incorporating the narratives of high school students and educators.