お知らせ

"FY 2025 Program for Fostering Artists and Others in Universities"

Programme for the Support of Human Resource Development through the Construction of a Comprehensive Archive & Talent-Development Programme Linking Traditional Woodblock Printing and the Arts　

Date: Friday, 19 December, 9:30-17:30
Venue: Ritsumeikan University Art Research Centre / Online (Zoom)

           ※If you wish to attend in person at the venue, please register via the form.
　　　※Online participation is available via the Zoom link below.
Zoom：https://ritsumei-ac-jp.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_V7UBxtVbTO2hYwhNMYVquw
ウェビナーID     ：954 4522 3588
パスコード         ：890604

Programme　※Please click here for the programme details.
9:20-9:30 Opening remarks
Session 1: Keynote
9:30-9:55 Ryo Akama & Ryoko Matsuba
 "The Current State and Future of Woodblock Print Digital Archives: Connecting Research and Creative Practice" (provisional title)

Session2:Film Screening
10:00-12:00 Screening of Paper by Washi＋
        Commentary: Ayumi Hamada (Director, Washi＋)

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Session 3: Research Presentations（Workshop Report Session）
13:00-13:10 -- Introduction
13:10-13:30 Myosai (online)
13:30-13:50 Miki Sawanaga (online)
13:50-14:10 Michika Noda (online)
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14:20-14:40 Keiko Kobayashi (on-site)
14:40-15:00 Tomomi Furukawa (on-site)
15:00-15:20 Eriko Fujita (online)
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15:30-16:00 Mia O (online)
16:00-16:20 Nobuto Ogawa (online)
16:20-16:50 Natasha Norman Moodley (online)
16:50-17:20 Lucy May Schofield (online)

17:20-17:30 Closing remarks

  Visit our website

The Art Research Center (ARC) at Ritsumeikan University is pleased to announce that digital images of ukiyo-e prints in the collection of the Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum of Waseda University have now been made publicly available in the ARC Database System.
These works can be found in the ARC Japanese Prints (Ukiyo-e) and Paintings Portal Database:
https://www.dh-jac.net/db/nishikie/search_portal.php?lang=en.
Select「早稲田大学演劇博物館(演博)」from the pull-down menu for the "Collection" search field to find the works from the Theatre Museum collections.

 Beginning with the personal collection of the museum's founder, Tsubouchi Shoyo, the Theatre Museum's collections today include some 48,000 ukiyo-e prints. Most are actor prints (yakusha-e) or prints otherwise depicting subjects related to Kabuki or other theatrical forms, and comprise the world's largest collection of theatre-related ukiyo-e prints. The collection is available to view online through the Waseda University Theatre Museum Ukiyo-e Database (part of the Waseda University Cultural Resource Database).

 Through the linking of the Waseda University Theatre Museum Ukiyo-e Database and the Art Research Center Database System, prints in the Theatre Museum's collection can now be searched for and viewed alongside prints from museum collections around the world. The relevant prints are labeled in the database with 「早稲田大学演劇博物館(演博)」in the Collection field. Digital tools incorporated into the ARC Database system, such as ImageNote and Similar Image Search, can also be used with the materials from the Theatre Museum.

 A portion of the ukiyo-e prints from the Theatre Museum collection are accompanied by bibliographical data (explanations, chronology data, etc.) compiled by the Theatre Museum Actor Prints Research Group, a collaborative research project of the International Joint Digital Archiving Center for Japanese Art and Culture (ARC-iJAC).

 We hope that this resource will be widely used by researchers and others interested in ukiyo-e and kabuki.

 Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum of Waseda University Homepage:
https://enpaku.w.waseda.jp/

On October 10, 2025, the Art Research Center (ARC) of Ritsumeikan University (Director: Professor Ryo Akama, located in Kita Ward, Kyoto City) and Kawashima Selkon Textiles Co., Ltd. (President and Representative Director: Akira Mitsuoka, located in Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City), a Nishijin-ori textile manufacturer with a history of 182 years, concluded a joint research agreement concerning the digital archiving and utilization of textile patterns and designs.  

In this joint research project, the Art Research Center (ARC) of Ritsumeikan University will record approximately 5,000 designs for obi produced by Kawashima Selkon Textiles from the Meiji period to the mid-Showa era as high-resolution digital data, with the aim of building an intellectual foundation that enables their long-term preservation and utilisation. In addition, the project plans to digitise textiles held by the Kawashima Textile Museum, Japan's oldest corporate museum introducing textile culture and design, which opened in 1889 (Meiji 22). This will significantly reduce the risk of physical deterioration or loss of historical materials, while facilitating systematic organisation and scholarly analysis. By digitising the vast collection of designs and textiles accumulated over many years, Kawashima Selkon Textiles will be able to preserve this valuable cultural heritage safely and sustainably, ensuring its transmission to future generations. Furthermore, understanding past designs and their techniques of expression will provide a creative foundation for application in contemporary design and product development.

ARC's "Kawashima Textiles Obi Pattern Archive". As of November 2025, approximately 1,230 items have been archived as data.

A design for an obi sash, suitable for iro-tomesode or kuro-tomesode kimonos. Based on delicate lacquerware crafted during the Edo period, it features an elegant arrangement of pine, bamboo, plum blossom,chrysanthemum, bush clover, and bellflower, rendered in gold tonesagainst a background of distant mountain patterns evoking the overlapping peaks of the Japanese landscape.

Going forward, we plan to collaborate closely with the educational programmes of Ritsumeikan University's Faculty of Design and Art and Graduate School of Design and Art, scheduled to open in April 2026. These institutions uphold the educational principles of "cultivating aesthetic sensibility" and "developing talent that bridges creation and social implementation," placing emphasis on experiential and practice-oriented learning that makes full use of Kyoto's cultural resources. 
The collaboration with Kawashima Selkon Textiles, a leading Japanese textile manufacturer with a history of 182 years, concretely embodies this philosophy. Students will visit Kawashima Selkon Textiles' headquarters factory, gaining profound insights into textiles through direct exposure to pattern design and weaving techniques. Furthermore, linking the data accumulated by ARC with the corporate field will enable new creative research grounded in traditional culture, significantly broadening the scope of learning. By commencing research collaboration prior to the faculty's establishment, the aim is to create a framework that accelerates education, research, and regional collaboration from the very outset of the new faculty and graduate school. 
Ritsumeikan University ARC and Kawashima Selkon Textiles will establish an industry-academia collaboration model that balances the preservation of traditional culture with its creative application. This will connect Kyoto's cultural resources to the future while disseminating the outcomes to society. As a "hub of knowledge rooted in the region and open to the world," we will further strengthen our contributions to education, research, and the local community.

■ About Kawashima Selkon Textiles Co.,Ltd.
Founded in Kyoto in 1843, Kawashima Selkon Textiles Co.,Ltd. is now celebrating its 183rd year as a textile manufacturer. In addition to traditional hand-weaving techniques carried out by skilled artisans, the company actively incorporates machine weaving using modern technology, dedicating its efforts to preserving cultural heritage while pursuing technological innovation for the future. 
Its Kyoto headquarters houses an integrated textile manufacturing facility that undertakes every stage from planning and design to dyeing and weaving, the Kawashima Textile Museum, which preserves works of significant historical value, and the Kawashima Textile School, which passes on textile techniques to the next generation. The company strives to preserve, develop, and promote textile culture.

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A press release has been issued by Ritsumeikan University regarding this matter, which can be viewed at the link below.  
The press release is provided in Japanese only.

▶ Press release here - 251210ARC/kawashima selkon .pdf  
Press release (for media) list | Ritsumeikan University  

Through this joint research, we will continue to integrate academic knowledge with industrial technology, aiming to deliver outcomes that contribute to society.

We are pleased to announce that the base map for the Modern Kyoto, Heian-kyo and Yamashiro Overlay Maps, published by the Art Research Center, Ritsumeikan University, has been updated to use Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (GSI) standard map tiles.
The Modern Kyoto Overlay Map now also supports GSI photography tiles and OpenStreetMap as base maps.
We have also improved the map transparency feature.
Please see the URLs below.

 Modern Kyoto Overlay Map
https://www.arc.ritsumei.ac.jp/archive01/theater/html/ModernKyoto/

 Heian-kyo Overlay Map
https://www.arc.ritsumei.ac.jp/archive01/theater/html/heian/

 Yamashiro Overlay Map
https://www.arc.ritsumei.ac.jp/archive01/theater/html/heian/switch/

「メランコリー」─陰鬱な気分─は精神の領域であるとともに、文化的・社会的な現象として歴史にその意味を刻んできました。シンポジウムの前半では「メランコリー」を洞察した近代美学を確認し、「メランコリー」の政治的特性に焦点を当てます。後半は現代の表象としてアンゼルム・キーファーの作品を取り上げ、キーファーのリサーチ・アシスタントを務めたハンス・ディッケル氏の基調講演を中心に、現代美術と写真からメランコリーの現在を探求します。国際シンポジウム「芸術・思想におけるメランコリーの現在」.pdf

日時　2025年11月8日（土）
場所　立命館大学アート・リサーチセンター　多目的ルーム
共催　・立命館大学国際言語文化研究所
　　　・立命館大学アート・リサーチセンター
　　　・鹿島美術財団
　　　・JSPS科研費基盤研究(C)「風景と近代的メランコリーの美学」
　　　　（課題番号21K00139）代表：仲間裕子
後援　立命館大学産業社会学部
時間　9：30開会　17：30閉会

■9:45 -12:30　第一部　現代思想におけるメランコリー
杉山卓史 カントにおける「理性の他者」としてのメランコリー
柿木伸之 憂鬱と叛逆──ベンヤミンのメランコリーの詩学
―休憩―
石田圭子 アルベルト・シュペーアと廃墟の美学
三木順子 メランコリーの時間性：「到来しない原初」と「過ぎ去る未来」のパラドクス
＜ラウンド・テーブル＞ 
三木順子（司会）、杉山卓史、石田圭子、柿木伸之

■13:30 -17:30 第二部　現代美術と写真におけるメランコリー
＜アンゼルム・キーファーとメランコリー＞
基調講演 ハンス・ディッケル Melancholy in the work of Anselm Kiefer 
香川 檀 本の憂鬱----〈知〉と〈記憶〉をめぐるメランコリー
仲間裕子 「逆転のアルケオロジー」とメランコリー
―休憩― 
竹中悠美 イギリスの庭園写真におけるメランコリーとケア
住田翔子 現代日本の廃墟写真とメランコリー 
＜ラウンド・テーブル＞ 
竹中悠美（司会）、ハンス・ディッケル、 香川檀、仲間裕子、住田翔子

◇オンライン参加の方は下のURLより事前登録をしてください。
　開催前日に、ご登録いただいたメールアドレスにZOOMウェビナーのURLをご案内します。
　URL：https://forms.gle/mzhv6zCcqsZU3oqp9

◇お問い合わせ先：立命館大学国際言語文化研究所 genbun■st.ritsumei.ac.jp　（■を@に変えてください）

Ako City Chushingura Digital Exhibition Room:
https://www.arc.ritsumei.ac.jp/lib/vm/akochushingura/

The fifth online exhibition of Chushingura Ukiyo-e co-organized by the Art Research Center and Ako City, entitled "Chushingura Ukiyo-e by the lyrical artist Hiroshige and by the fantastical artist Kuniyoshi," is now open online.

Prior to this, Ako City has held four digital exhibitions using the Art Research Center's electronic exhibition systems. This fifth exhibit introduces Chushingura-themed works by two of the representative Utagawa school artists of the world of late Edo period Ukiyo-e, Hiroshige and Kuniyoshi.

Hiroshige, known for his lyrical landscapes and images of famous places, also designed numerous prints of narrative scenes that display his refined skills in the depictions of the background. Meanwhile, Kuniyoshi demonstrated his excellent illustrative skills in producing not only the images of warriors for which he is famous, but also images of beauties, actors, comedic scenes, and other works incorporating a modern sensibility; with his enterprising spirit and rich imagination, he also designed numerous works on the theme of Chushingura.

Please enjoy lyricism and fantasy, stillness and movement, in the world of Chushingura as depicted by Hiroshige and Kuniyoshi, two contrasting Utagawa artists.

 
Ako City Chushingura Ukiyo-e Digital Exhibition:
https://www.arc.ritsumei.ac.jp/lib/vm/akochushingura/
Ako City Chushingura Ukiyo-e Database:
https://www.dh-jac.net/db/nishikie/search_ako.php
Entrance through Ako City's website:
https://www.city.ako.lg.jp/edu/shougai/akoukiyoedatebase.html

Ritsumeikan University will establish a College of Arts and Design and a Graduate School of Arts and Design at its Kinugasa Campus in Kyoto from April 2026.
The Art Research Center has organised a series of seminars centred on the faculty members who will be joining this new faculty. In these seminars, each faculty member will introduce their current research themes.
This seminar is open to the public, including those considering enrolment in the College of Arts and Design or its Graduate School, as well as anyone interested in the research activities.

We look forward to having you join us! 

 ＜Participation＞Free of charge・No booking required・Open to all.

・Zoom webinars: https://ritsumei-ac-jp.zoom.us/j/98502436897
・YouTube live streaming: https://www.youtube.com/@studioarc504

 ＜Seminar＞
All Days: 18:30～20:00 (For completed seminars, clicking the title will take you to the archived video.)

• October 22 ,        Topic: "Archaeology × Design & Art: A Challenge"  (Streaming video)
                              Sp:　Oki　NAKAMURA（Specialty: Design, Art, and History）

• October 29 ,        Topic: "Design in the Connected World"(Streaming video)
                               Sp: Yo OSHIMA （Specialty: Digital Design Expression）

• November 19 ,    Topic: "Cultural heritage video mapping and Manga AI"  (Streaming video)　　
                              Sp: Kazushi Mukaiyama (Specialty: Digital Art)

• November 26 ,    Topic: "Digital Archive of Past Urban Landscape Using Photogrammetry"　 (Streaming video)
    　　　　　　　Sp: Takashi Kirimura (Specialty:Geographic Information Science, Historical GIS, 3D GIS)
  

• December 10,     Topic: "From Exhibition to Exhibition: A Case Study of Ota Kijiro"
                               Sp: Sayoko Ueda (Professor, Institute for General Education, Ritsumeikan University / Professor, College of Arts and Design, Ritsumeikan University)
  

• December 17,      Topic: "Designing Connectives-- Time, People, Skills, and Materials as Seen in Japanese Traditional Woodblock Printing"
                                Sp: Ryoko Matsuba (Professor, College of Letters Japanese Literature, Ritsumeikan University / Professor, College of Arts and Design, Ritsumeikan University)

About the College and Graduate School of Arts and Design
＜Official website＞
Unleash your creativity upon the world. | Ritsumeikan University

＜Contact Us＞
da2026@st.ritsumei.ac.jp　

About the Ritsumeikan University Art Research Center (ARC)
＜Contact Us＞
r-darc@st.ritsumei.ac.jp

The Art Research Center (ARC) at Ritsumeikan University is pleased to announce that more than 2,600 ukiyo-e prints in the collection of the Tobacco & Salt Museum in Tokyo have now been made publicly available in the ARC Database System.
These works can be found by searching for "tsm" in the "Owner" field in the ARC Japanese Prints (Ukiyo-e) and Paintings Portal Database.
https://www.dh-jac.net/db/nishikie/search_tsm.php

The Tobacco & Salt Museum's collection of ukiyo-e chiefly consists of materials collected by the Monopoly Bureau of the Ministry of Finance, Japan, beginning in 1932, for the purposes of understanding the history and development of smoking culture. It is valuable not only for learning about the cultural history of tobacco, but also as a fascinating resource for industrial and commercial history. The collection includes materials spanning from the early Edo period to the Meiji period, and features works by a diversity of artists.

The Museum published a catalog in 2010 entitled "Ukiyo-e hanga," complete with color plates. Now, nearly the entire collection is made available to view online.

Please enjoy and make use of this newly-available resource.