Roppongi Crossing 2025:
What Passes Is Time. We Are Eternal.

On the Theme of “Time”

This edition of Roppongi Crossing will examine today’s “Japan” through contemporary art, focusing on the intersections of different flows of times that become visible through multifaceted interpretations on the concept of “time.”

Can we escape from the overwhelming speed and temporal oppression imposed by modern society? In a society that privileges technological innovation and efficiency, instant gratification and short-term results are prioritized, and people are expected to live faster. Meanwhile, art teaches us that “time” shifts and changes according to the depth of our experiences and sensations, and that it exists in truly diverse forms - personal time, time with others, the time of flora and fauna, geological time, and time embedded in geopolitical and social contexts.

The theme of “time” may appear abstract and detached from the manifold issues haunting modern society. It is also true, however, that it has become far more difficult to foster and develop a common awareness amidst a world increasingly fragmented by war, racial discrimination, economic disparity, and human rights issues. Even under such circumstances, art can serve as a catalyst for generating a sense of empathy and dialogue with others.

This year’s Roppongi Crossing introduces works of art by artists active in Japan regardless of nationality, as well as those based overseas with Japanese roots. This is an attempt to approach and reconsider “Japan” from a broader point of view, reassessing its framework from its regional, cultural, and geopolitical perspectives. Furthermore, through the universal theme of “time,” the exhibition seeks to discover commonalities at a deeper level that exist beyond cultural differences.

The subtitle What Passes Is Time. We Are Eternal. is quoted from a verse in a poem by Sapardi Djoko Damono, one of Indonesia’s renowned contemporary poets. This poem speaks of the preciousness of “time,” a universal concept, but also the danger of losing sight of the essence of living, trapped within that time. In life, which is a continuous series of fleeting moments, eternity resides in this very instant. This encompasses not merely the continuation of human life, but rather the persistence of memory, the meaning of existence, and the nature of human relationships. This poem resonates deeply with the power of art which encourages us to feel and contemplate the essence of things. Through this exhibition, we will reconsider what “Japan” is, and turn to the various ways of life inherent to this moment as well as its permanence. In doing so, it will also become a place for us to explore possibilities for surviving in today’s increasingly complex society.

Exhibition Highlights

1. Multilayered Expressions on the Theme of “Time”

In modern society that emphasizes efficiency and shortterm goals, time is often regarded only as a commodity of consumption, but art questions this approach. A.A.Murakami’s large-scale installation uses elements such as fog and light to create an experience that envelops viewers both physically and psychologically. There, time slowly expands, providing a sense of deep immersion into the “here and now.” Wada Reijiro creates threedimensional work that encases brandy in multilayered glass. He uses this liquor, which has undergone the process of fruit fermentation and distillation, in order to address metaphysical themes of life, death, and time. Maya Watanabe, a Peruvian artist based in Amsterdam, takes an archaeological approach in producing video installations that suggest concepts of time that transcend human history. In Hosoi Miyu’s sound piece, which processes the sound of a crowd and its ambient noise present in a specific location, various scales of time - individual and society, natural and memory - intersect.

2. Accumulating Memories and Redefining Techniques

Oki Junko’s delicate embroidery works reconnect the individual with society, and the past with the present, while tracing family memories embedded in handwork and fabric. Meanwhile, Kuwata Takuro boldly references the techniques and history of Japanese ceramics while achieving timeless sculptural beauty through vivid colors and unconventional forms. Furthermore, his critical stance toward the categories of kogei (craft) and contemporary art updates our perception of what is “Japanese.” Kitazawa Jun collaborates with Indonesian kite craftsmen to revive fighter aircrafts used in the Japanese military invasion of Java and later repurposed by Indonesian forces for their War of Independence. By doing so, his project traces this troubled history while raising questions about the tensions and possibilities of connecting the two countries.

3. Japan, in the Global Art Scene

This exhibition offers a clear demonstration of how “Japanese art” is no longer confined to nationality or geographical boundaries. Kelly Akashi poetically expresses themes of body, memory, the momentary and the eternal through her bronze and glass sculptures, while Carrie Yamaoka employs analog photographic processes to create a cycle of work around historical memory, erasure and landscape. In the works of Akashi and Yamaoka, both Japanese Americans, one can find a sense of lyricism seen in Japanese artistic expression that resonates across borders and generations. Shooshie Sulaiman, though a Malaysian artist, has long been engaged with art projects rooted in the local history and community of Onomichi City in Hiroshima Prefecture for many years now. These works, which express themes of memory, migration, and border-crossing from a diverse range of perspectives, recount Japanese society and culture in various forms.