Spanning the Centuries

Spanning the Centuries

Tenkai, a lovely old mansion near Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto...

Once a temporary residence belonging to a prosperous merchant of the Muromachi era, Tenkai today is an exclusive retreat offering an oasis of calm and privacy. The antique structure gives rise to the illusion that time has come to a standstill. Art historian Ito Toshiharu and religious scholar Ueshima Keiji sat down together at this Kyoto hideaway in mid-February to discuss such topics as communication technologies and art, time and the body. Their lively, liberal dialogue is brought to you here at Panasonic üç Pavilion.

With just five years left until the 21st century, the Atlanta Games in July this year will mark the 100th anniversary of the Olympics. What kind of era was the 20th century, and what can we expect in the next hundred years? The conversation ranged from the Olympics to World Expositions, and then to time capsules. Each of these topics encompass typically 20th century phenomena and themes for the future.

As the sun set and a cold wind began to blow outside, the two men moved closer to the warmth of the hibachi, taking bites from the tasty morsels brought in to accompany their sake. And with the hours, as their pace of drinking quickened, their words took wing and flew.

<TABLE ALIGN="right"><TR><TD><FONT SIZE=-2> <A HREF=" ../index01.html">HOME</A> | <A HREF="02.html">NEXT</A> </FONT></TD></TR></TABLE><BR CLEAR=ALL><HR> Copyright(C)1996 MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO.,LTD.