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Talk I: François LACHAUD
24 SEPTEMBRE 25
IHP-EFEO Talk
Speaker:
Prof. François Lachaud
Professor, French School of Asian Studies (EFEO)
Title:
What the Bear Knew: Fujito Takeki and the Craft of Presence
Host:
Prof. Eka SUZUKI
Assistant Research Fellow
Institute of History and Philology, Academia Sinica
&
Prof. Frank MUYARD
Head, EFEO Taipei Center
Date:
Wednesday, September 24, 2025, 15:00 pm
Venue:
Conference Room 703, Research Building, Institute of History and Philology, Academia Sinica
Abstract:
This presentation examines the evocative artistry of sculptor Fujito Takeki 藤戸竹喜 (1934-2018), who affectionately identified himself as a bear carver. This distinctive self-identification is an insightful lens through which to explore kumabori 熊彫り-the intricate craft of carving wooden bears-within the rich cultural context of Ainu culture in post-Meiji era Hokkaidō. While his work is firmly grounded in venerable Ainu traditions, Fujito's artistic expression resonates with broader narratives of trade, tourism, and ecological awareness, transforming his wooden carvings into subtle yet profoundly moving incarnations of presence.
Rather than situating Fujito's sculptures within the dominant activist narrative in Ainu studies-which often depicts Indigenous material culture as symbols of resistance or remnants of historical oppression-his artistry is better appreciated through the lens of ambiguity rather than clarity, emphasising endurance over resolution. In this intricate context, each carved bear unfolds an alternative narrative that intertwines the lives of humans and animals, the echoes of memory and the complexities of market demand, "ethno-tourism," carving practices, and autochthonous resilience.
What the bear knew was never overtly articulated by Fujito. Nevertheless, his skilled hands reveal a rich, complex story-unfinished, resilient, and deeply rooted in the natural landscape of Hokkaidō.
Organizers: Institute of History and Philology, Academia Sinica & EFEO Taipei Center.
※ The talk will be given in English. Registration is not required.
conference
Speaker:
Prof. François Lachaud
Professor, French School of Asian Studies (EFEO)
Title:
What the Bear Knew: Fujito Takeki and the Craft of Presence
Host:
Prof. Eka SUZUKI
Assistant Research Fellow
Institute of History and Philology, Academia Sinica
&
Prof. Frank MUYARD
Head, EFEO Taipei Center
Date:
Wednesday, September 24, 2025, 15:00 pm
Venue:
Conference Room 703, Research Building, Institute of History and Philology, Academia Sinica
Abstract:
This presentation examines the evocative artistry of sculptor Fujito Takeki 藤戸竹喜 (1934-2018), who affectionately identified himself as a bear carver. This distinctive self-identification is an insightful lens through which to explore kumabori 熊彫り-the intricate craft of carving wooden bears-within the rich cultural context of Ainu culture in post-Meiji era Hokkaidō. While his work is firmly grounded in venerable Ainu traditions, Fujito's artistic expression resonates with broader narratives of trade, tourism, and ecological awareness, transforming his wooden carvings into subtle yet profoundly moving incarnations of presence.
Rather than situating Fujito's sculptures within the dominant activist narrative in Ainu studies-which often depicts Indigenous material culture as symbols of resistance or remnants of historical oppression-his artistry is better appreciated through the lens of ambiguity rather than clarity, emphasising endurance over resolution. In this intricate context, each carved bear unfolds an alternative narrative that intertwines the lives of humans and animals, the echoes of memory and the complexities of market demand, "ethno-tourism," carving practices, and autochthonous resilience.
What the bear knew was never overtly articulated by Fujito. Nevertheless, his skilled hands reveal a rich, complex story-unfinished, resilient, and deeply rooted in the natural landscape of Hokkaidō.
Organizers: Institute of History and Philology, Academia Sinica & EFEO Taipei Center.
※ The talk will be given in English. Registration is not required.
conference