Art-Science
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We liaise with artists, designers, architects, curators, and other arts professionals and institutions working at the interface where the arts meet education, research, and innovation. We help them to expand their reach and encourage exchange on how science and technology influence the arts.
Taking a personalized, tailored approach, we connect partners with local cultural institutions, professionals, academic institutions, and the private sector to help initiate and develop projects between Switzerland and Japan.
Events
Since 2022, Swissnex in Japan has held talk events providing a platform for Swiss spotlight scientists, startups, artists, and designers to present their projects and connect with the local community in Japan. The nexCafé series offers a casual setting where speakers can present their work and engage with the attendees during a Q&A session.
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nexCafé #10: Global Science Film Festival
November 11, 2024As part of the 6th Global Science Film Festival, the 10th nexCafé, “AI as a Friend: Does a Chatbot Relationship Really Work?” delved into the intriguing question of whether an AI chatbot could serve as a roommate, a friend, or even a romantic partner.
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nexCafé #9: Playing at Being Human
October 18, 2024Playing at Being Human is an artistic-philosophical experiment that explores the crisis of anthropocentrism by rethinking the relationship between humans and non-humans, both living and technical. Swissnex in Japan hosted an event that delved into the boundaries between humanity, technology, and the natural world. The program featured two video artworks that served as a catalyst for deep discussion on anthropocentrism and human identity.
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nexCafé #8: Tinguely Entangled
June 14, 2024Art-science talk on “Tinguely Entangled,” a visionary performance designed by Swiss pianist Lukas Loss, in collaboration with scientist Dr. Henry Legg, brought an immersive journey into the heart of quantum physics with artistry and groundbreaking scientific insights.
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nexCafé #7: ArtTech x Swissnex Conversation
March 7, 2024Five exceptional presenters provided captivating insights into XR and gaming at our event, "Japan’s Startup Ecosystem in the XR and Gaming Industry," co-organized with our esteemed partner Nathalie Pichard from the ArtTech Foundation.
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nexCafé #6: Material Meetup Kyoto – Master craftsmen making word-class products from natural materials
November 16, 2023We invited six exceptional presenters who shared captivating insights into the immense value of modern-age natural materials, meticulously crafted by “Takumi” (master craftsmen) at the pinnacle of their art.
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nexCafé #5: Voicing Marshlands – Rereading the potential of an undervalued ecosystem
June 9, 2023Artist and composer Rahel Kraft presented her sonic works of the marshes in Taiki, Hokkaido. Co-organized with the Memu Earth Lab, we invited Professor Toshiya Okuro, a landscape ecology conservation and restoration specialist from The University of Tokyo.
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nexCafé #4: Global Science Film Festival in Japan
March 31, 2023The 5th Global Science Film Festival by the Swiss Science Film Academy has been a great success. Themed "Reconnecting Science and Society," it featured the screening of two outstanding Swiss animations and a compelling Swiss documentary about glaciers.
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nexCafé #3: Material Meetup Kyoto
February 15, 2023Co-organized with FabCafe, we invited NaturLoop, a Swiss-based materials science startup, and PEEL Lab, a B2B green tech for plant-based leather products, to talk about ethical materials and the usage of sustainable materials in architecture.
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![Photo credit: Fiammetta Pennisi]()
nexCafé #2: The Role of Science and Technology in Art and Humanities
November 16, 2022A panel discussion featuring a musician, an artist, and a scientist explored the relationships between sound, consciousness, perception, memory, and the body, while also presenting insights into interdisciplinary art and science projects.
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nexCafé #1: Sonic Agency – Understanding the city through sound practices
September 8, 2022A performative event explored how the DATA that flows through the networks impacts the CITY soundscapes and how AI and machine learning affect the precision of what we hear through digital platforms, potentially transforming the next level of human creativity.
Exhibitions
Learn moreThe Swissnex Window, a captivating exhibition space spanning 60 to 160 square meters, is strategically positioned facing Midosuji, known as the Champs Elysees of Osaka, attracting an impressive 10,000 passersby per day. This prime location offers unparalleled visibility for creative content and innovative ideas.
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![Maya Minder MICUL MICUL]()
MICUL MICUL – Algae Kitchenlab Workshop
December 10, 2024A social cooking workshop and performance that uses food as a medium for storytelling, challenging our everyday perceptions and habits. In this project, Maya Minder explores the relationship between humans and the ecological world, framed through the lens of care work and eco-feminism. Cooking is inherently political; our habits of eating and domesticating plants and animals shape landscapes and ecosystems across the planet.
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![Maya Minder MICUL MICUL]()
Swissnex Window #2: Green Open Food Evolution
December 9, 2024 — January 10, 2025Algae produces about 70% of the world’s oxygen and is considered a possible key to addressing aspects of the energy and climate crisis. In this installation, Maya Minder explores seaweed as a familiar part of the Japanese diet. Looking at tables around the world, there seems to be great potential for broader consumption.
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Swissnex Window #1: Design with Wood
October 25, 2024 — November 22, 2024Swissnex in Japan presents Design with Wood, the first exhibition in the Swissnex Window series, showcasing the innovative work of five emerging designers in Switzerland: Fabien Roy, Amandine Gini, Victor Moynier, Ramona Hess, and Salomon Elsler. Through their unique approaches to sustainable furniture design, these designers explore how wood—often discarded or overlooked—can be reimagined as a valuable resource.
Study trips
Are you interested in exploring Japan's vibrant contemporary art scene, renowned for its innovation and imagination? Immerse yourself in the latest art-science projects through a study trip.
We regularly host teachers and students from Swiss universities, arranging visits to local cultural and academic institutions, professionals, and private-sector partners to facilitate meaningful exchanges.
If you are interested in receiving support from us and leveraging our extensive network in Japan, we would love to hear from you.
Find more
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Future of Mindfulness
May 11, 2024Exploring the intersection of mindfulness and leadership in today's dynamic world, we were enriched by Stefanie Neumann and Christoph Hoffmann from ZHAW, who shared their insights. Zenryu Kawakami provided a profound overview of Japanese Zen culture, and Shoukei Matsumoto delivered a thought-provoking talk on long-term thinking.
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Cities of Longevity
March 11, 2024In a world that is constantly evolving, the notion of health and longevity is being redefined beyond the traditional confines of healthcare systems. The recent "Cities of Longevity" event, hosted by Swiss Consul and CEO Dr. Felix Moesner, Head of Art-Science Fiammetta Pennisi, and Head of Academic Relations Minami Kotani, in collaboration with the Swiss Center for Design and Health, explored this concept through a multifaceted lens.
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Groundbreaking of the Swiss Pavilion
March 20, 2024The 19 March 2024 marked the official groundbreaking of the Swiss Pavilion, an important milestone on the road to World Expo 2025, Osaka, Kansai. Switzerland is starting the construction of its ultra-light Pavilion that will soon invite visitors to discover the essence of Swiss innovation in a magical atmosphere.
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World Expo 25 – Swiss Pavilion Reveal
February 2, 2023World Premiere unveiling of the design for the Swiss Pavilion at the World Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai
Contact
Head of Art-Science / Deputy CEO
Fiammetta Pennisi is the Head of Art-Science at Swissnex in Japan. With a background in architecture from ETH Zürich and the University of Tokyo, she previously worked at Takenaka Corporation and interned at Kengo Kuma & Associates. Fiammetta is fluent in multiple languages, including Japanese, and has over two years of experience bridging art and science in her current role.