Washi FuturismWashi Futurism

The designers behind Washi Futurism have collaborated with papermakers So Kubota and Masaru Nishita for over two years, and in 2023 visited them in Misumi, Japan, to learn about the craft first hand. Both are young successors of family businesses focused on the production of Sekishu Washi, a process designated as Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. Today, only four remaining ateliers undergo the efforts of growing and harvesting kozo bushes, processing their bark into soft pulp, scooping and eventually sun-drying the sheets. The international team of artisans and designers is inspired by this tradition, but also feels inclined to go beyond retro-perspective narratives.

Instagram of Washi Futurism

The exhibition puts a spotlight on current developments and experimental routes of washi, alongside showcasing the paper’s properties and rich history. Visitors can dive into the cosmos of this special paper by viewing a floating, luminous paper installation, experiencing close-up videos of material tests, gaining insights into the production steps, and by exploring the paper’s texture and pliability with their own hands.

In order to bring across the diverse facets of the craft, the book is of hybrid nature. Fourteen original Sekishu Washi samples reveal their fascinating qualities, followed by testimonies of the artisans, essays by local experts, design applications and hands-on instructions. Some pages are equipped with visual triggers for readers to scan using an Augmented Reality app. Essays and photographs are elevated through audiovisual elements, such as immersive 360º image series that allow the reader to e.g. “step inside” the paper workshops.

The publication Washi Futurism is among others available at NAi Booksellers.

Cream on Chrome is a Rotterdam-based design studio led by Jonas Althaus and Martina Huynh. By creating interactive multimedia experiences, the designers seek to involve audiences into pressing questions of our times. In 2022 the studio was the winner of Dutch Design Awards and the STRP Award for Creative Technology (ACT). Cream on Chrome exhibits their work internationally and regularly works with cultural and educational institutions, such as Nieuwe Instituut, MU Hybrid Art House, Royal Academy of Arts The Hague, and Hogeschool van Amsterdam.

Craft Portrait is the joint project of designers Satomi Minoshima and Pauline Agustoni. The series of projects is dedicated to unveiling contemporary crafts and rethinking the narratives surrounding them. The first edition of the series, 'Craft Portrait: Dorozome', focuses on traditional Japanese mud-dyeing. The project received a nomination for the Swiss Design Awards 2023 and has been showcased internationally, including exhibitions at Museum Z33 (BE), Dutch Design Week (NL), Design Museum Gent (BE) and Atelier MUJI Ginza (JP). Beyond their collaborative efforts, both designers pursue individual practices driven by a shared passion for exploring diverse narratives surrounding materials and techniques.

• Friday 13 September 20:00
• Saturday 14 September 15:00
• Sunday 15 September 15:00

The designers will be giving tours of their exhibition in Gallery 3 on the dates and times above.