Universities, throughout the world, are keen to celebrate the achievements of their students. Material Symphysis sets out to examine a more constant and less transient aspect to Higher Education establishments, its staff. It is from the staff that styles and schools of thought stem and futures subsequently shaped. Links between the University for the Creative Arts (UCA) and Tokyo University of the Arts (TUA) have been forged as a result of their prominence in the field of crafts.

This unique project deliberately sets out to celebrate, not only developing international links, but to acknowledge the quality of staff working on each course. More importantly it will look at similar and differing views on how material experience, through study of crafts, is taught across two diverse cultures. This is where the project opens up to include theories of education, perceptions of craft in cultural contexts, the sociological values placed upon objects and the student experience. These areas build on the uniqueness of the exhibition and through the publications establish a project of international significance with momentum and longevity.

In 2014 the Japanese government introduced Super Global Universities, a funding initiative to enhance the international standing of certain institutes in Japan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Global_Universities). The only arts based institute to be recognised by this initiative to date is TUA (Geidai). Two years ago Farnham became the UK’s first ‘Craft Town’. This status was recognised and granted due to the contribution Farnham has made, and continues to make, to the national and international standing of British Craft. As a result of these two timely initiatives this project sets the stage for a long overdue assessment of where the relationship between the UK and Japan sits today with regard to not only the crafts, but also how they are taught.

Accompanying symposium: 15 April 2016.
Photographs courtesy UCA Image Bank/UCA Digitisation Unit.

• https://materialsymphysis.wordpress.com
• http://uca.onlineculture.co.uk/ttp/?o=1&...
• http://www.uca.ac.uk/galleries