The Earth Clock
Bucky Fuller who conceived the idea of “Spaceship Earth” once insisted on the necessity of the computerized globe at the UN headquarter, the spherical installation which could represent in real time the present situation of the world to update the decision-making process of international affairs. Still today, however, our imagination is confined in a 2-dimensional map invented in the 16th century. How can we address the gap between our globalized lifestyle and the outdated perspective? Tangible Earth is the world’s first interactive digital globe. Using the data constantly updated online, 12 spheres installed in the form of “Earth Clock” dynamically illustrate various aspects of our planet such as current weather, natural disasters, global migration of birds, cross-border transfer of air pollutants, climate change, and the SDGs issues (water-stress, malnutrition, etc.). Designing a “sense-ware” which enhances the feeling of global connectedness is essential to live creatively in the age of the Anthropocene.
This exhibition is presented in conjunction with Uchida Design Inc, Weathernews Inc, Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd, Japan Asia Group Ltd/Kokusai Kogyo Co., Ltd, AZLAB Inc, Hajime Fukuda, Ajinomoto Co., Inc, JVC Kenwood Corp, and Sony Corp.
Artist Profile
-
Shinichi Takemura / Earth Literacy Program(NPO)
竹村眞一/ELP（Earth Literacy Program；NPO）
Anthropologist, professor at Kyoto University of Art and Design, the director of Earth Literacy Program. In 1997, Takemura produced a virtual pavilion “Sensorium” which won the Golden Nica prize at the Ars Electronica. In 2005, he conceived the world’s first multimedia globe “Tangible Earth”, which has been exhibited at G8 Summit (2008), COP15 (2009), Davos Forum (2011/12, in China), Milano Expo (2015), etc. Since 2012, Prof. Takemura and ELP have served as a concept designer for UNISDR and produce a “tablet” version of Tangible Earth called “GfT”. In 2018, Takemura and Jun Nishimura (CTO at ELP) launch the advanced model of Tangible Earth “Sphere ME”, here at MAT.