Kounosuke Kawakami Laboratory at Kurashiki University of Science and the Arts

Kawakami Laboratory is an organisation based in Kurashiki, Japan. Founded in 2013 by Konosuke Kawakami at the Kurashiki University of Science and the Art. The laboratory collaborates with internationally acclaimed artists, critics, curators, sociologists and philosophers to broaden perspectives through contemporary art. It addresses urgent issues such as inequality, race, gender identity, labour power structures, and economic exploitation.

Students have an opportunity to take a closer look at the ways these issues are dealt with by contemporary artists. The main focus is to foster their understanding by reflecting historical perspectives onto the reality of today. The laboratory operates as a platform for students to freely explore their interdisciplinary works and contextualise their practices, organising projects with established artists to seek new possibilities beyond their studio output.