About

Innumerable imaginations are at this very moment opening doors somewhere.

F/T has long believed that one of the vital functions of a festival is to facilitate movement and meetings of people that are not ordinarily possible. This is because moving and meeting ushers in future possibilities. Though not entirely indifferent to economic rationality, art deliberately distances itself from the efficiency and common sense that unconsciously constrain us, and can create unexpected channels, entrances, and exits.

But as we now all know, a situation occurred globally this year whereby it became extremely difficult for people to move around and meet each other. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the very meaning of moving and meeting has utterly changed, exposing both their risks and values. Not only between countries, it was as if boundaries between national regions, between indoors and outdoors, or even between people, had suddenly appeared.

In this kind of situation, we can all agree, the power of the imagination becomes paramount. We must consider the people who now find themselves in difficult circumstances. We must prepare for the situation to come. We also know, however, that our imaginations do not always work so conveniently. In the first place, we wouldn’t have been able even to imagine this situation before the beginning of the year. Moreover, what we do imagine is not always only what is good or serious. There are times when our fractious imaginations fully devour us. We are perhaps by now tired and fed up with imagining.

But that our imaginations do not simply stop working is surely because we can’t help thinking about our individual selves, other people, society, the world—and more than anything, about the future of all of these. While anticipating that the risk of infection will remain with us in the long term, we nonetheless decided to go ahead with our festival, considering it vital to secure channels for exchange within and without Japan, and to continue cultivating possibilities for the future, even if it means radically changing our approaches. Regardless of the physical restrictions imposed upon us, there are doors that our imaginations can open and there are realities that our imaginations can create.

In order that this year’s festival proves an opportunity to update, together with different kinds of participants, the meaning of meeting, we are now exploring various realistic approaches with our artists and partners. We will keep you informed of new circumstances as they arise. We look forward to welcoming you to the festival this autumn.