Cultural Activities at DNP
Art and culture that bring joy and inspiration to people are indispensable for realizing a spiritually rich society. Aiming to realize this aspiration, we are striving to provide opportunities to experience art and culture and develop new ways to enjoy the arts through Printing and Information (P&I) technology and expertise. To this end, we are building a new cultural experience model that leverages the latest digital technologies such as VR and AR.
- Key principles driving our cultural activities
- Promoting graphic design and graphic art
- Archives of cultural and artistic heritage
- Cultural and artistic activities
- Upcoming exhibitions and events
Key principles driving our cultural activities
From Yoichiro Kawaguchi Exhibition "The Intelligence of Life" Photograph by Mitsumasa Fujitsuka
We aim to contribute to nurturing a society built on fresh values, shaped by bringing people from diverse backgrounds and with different beliefs together, and encouraging mutual respect in a stimulating environment. To achieve this, creating a "culture of dialogue" is paramount: this means engaging in dialogue as a channel to catalyze people's imaginations, propelling them to discuss new viewpoints and ideas, and ultimately to think of innovative approaches and solutions. We believe that one of the most effective ways to build this stimulating environment is to expose people to art and culture from different regions and eras, thereby fostering their sensitivity to, and understanding of, a range of mindsets and values.
Under the motto of making commitment to long-lasting cultural activities related to our printing business, we endeavor to contribute to the development of this "culture of dialogue" by promoting the dissemination of mainly visual art-related work, since it is closely connected to printing.
We hope you will enjoy participating in the many different cultural activities we offer.
Promoting graphic design and graphic art
Creating opportunities and venues to enrich people's sensibility
Our unique exhibitions, organized in association with the DNP Foundation for Cultural Promotion, a non-profit organization, aim to "promote graphic design and graphic art" and "expand opportunities for encounters with art" to grow more people with rich sensibility in society.
Initiatives
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A vision of the Ginza Graphic Gallery curator
Past, present and future vision for graphic design
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Dialogue on corporations and cultural activities
How graphic art elevates corporations above the pursuit of profit
Archives of cultural and artistic heritage
Preserving pieces of tangible and intangible cultural heritage without damage and passing them on to future generations
Cultural heritage can be thought of as the footprint of human activities spanning diverse regions and eras. It gives us valuable clues about the wisdom and thoughts of people of the time and paves the way for the next generation. We believe that in order to pass on cultural heritage to future generations, it should be presented in easily accessible and comprehensible forms. Accordingly, to archive our cultural heritage, we apply different technologies and solutions related to information transmission, including the printing technology we have cultivated since our founding, and digitization and networking technology for text and images.
Initiatives
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Kyoto Cultural Heritage Archive
Launched jointly by DNP, the TOMORROW'S KYOTO Cultural Heritage Platform, and Mainichi Broadcasting System (MBS) in 2014, the project seeks to promote the preservation of Kyoto's rich cultural heritage and its transmission to future generations in good condition. Some of the precious and tangible or intangible cultural assets in Kyoto or its surroundings, starting with the temples and palaces inscribed in the World Cultural Heritage List as Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto, have been recorded on high-definition videos. By planning and operating cultural experience programs using archived data, the project also seeks to assist the owners of those assets in passing down the long-fostered tradition to future generations.
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DNP's High-definition reproductions of traditional masterpieces
Combining high-definition digital technologies from image capture and processing to printing with materials technologies including specially developed Japanese paper and gold-leaf grounds, DNP has achieved precise reproductions of cultural heritage artworks whose archival durability ensures their transmission to future generations. The solution addresses the dilemma faced by cultural heritage practitioners, in reconciling preservation considerations and disclosure to the public.
Cultural and artistic activities
Promoting graphic design and graphic art
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ginza graphic gallery
Established in 1986 as part of the company's cultural activities, this gallery specializing in graphic design was opened in Ginza, where DNP was founded. It has been operated by the DNP Foundation for Cultural Promotion since 2008. The gallery promotes graphic art culture through exhibitions, lectures, publishing and more.
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Kyoto ddd gallery
Opened in 1991 in Dojima, Osaka, this gallery specializes in graphic design. In July 2022, it relocated and reopened in Shijo-Karasuma, Kyoto. The gallery focuses on introducing creators from Kansai in addition to graphic design on an international scale.
Archives of cultural and artistic heritage
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DNP Museum Lab
DNP Museum Lab is operated to investigate and give shape to ways of becoming familiar with art and culture through DNP‘s cultural activities. To date, in collaboration with the Louvre, the Bibliothèque Nationale de France and other museums in Japan and overseas, the lab has developed more than 100 multimedia-based systems that promote a deep, multi-faceted understanding of art and pique interest in it.
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DNP Kyoto Uzumasa Cultural Heritage Gallery
This gallery operates on the theme of preservation and transmission of cultural heritage. Here, visitors can experience several of DNP's digital archiving technologies and viewing systems with a focus on Kyoto's cultural heritage.
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Maison des Musées du Monde
Under the theme of ”art in daily life," this facility suggests ways of enriching the everyday through exquisite taste. In addition to selling original museum goods and works by creators in Japan and overseas, it also offers learning programs including lectures and workshops.
Portal site
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artscape
Launched in 1995, ArtScape is a media platform that connects people living in Japan with art galleries and museums throughout the country. In addition to information on exhibitions and museums, it is packed with information on art, including trends in different art scenes in Japan and overseas, and topics from curators' perspectives.
Cultural activity news
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Oct 15, 2024
- ginza graphic gallery
Online article "Both Sides of Design" vol.4 Yuri Uenishi [Language: Japanese only]
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Feb 7, 2024
- Kyoto ddd gallery
ddd Release of the special dialogue program (Extra edition) on YouTube. [Language: Japanese only]
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Sep 22, 2022
- ginza graphic gallery
[GINCRE Stamp Rally] Go around four galleries in Ginza!
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Upcoming exhibitions and events
Current exhibitions and events
| Name of exhibition | Date | Venue | website |
|---|---|---|---|
| The 244th Identity Systems Germany | Rebranding West Germany after 1945 | Oct24,2024 ～ Jan13,2025 |
kyoto ddd gallery | Official Website(Open in a new window) |
| The 405th Atsuki Kikuchi Graphic in Space | Dec10,2024 ～ Feb1,2025 |
Ginza Graphic Gallery | Official Website(Open in a new window) |
Upcoming events
| Name of exhibition | Date | Venue | website |
|---|---|---|---|
| The 245th takuya minami w/ | Jan23,2025 ～ Apr2,2025 |
kyoto ddd gallery | Official Website(Open in a new window) |
Related organizations and accreditations
The DNP Foundation for Cultural Promotion
DNP regards the artistry and culture of graphic design and art to be inseparably linked to our printing technology, and important assets shared by all humankind. From this prospective, we promote graphic design and art and conduct activities including exhibitions, educational activities, archiving and international exchange programs to contribute to the improvement and development of human culture.
Association for Corporate Support of the Arts
Our cultural activities program has been recognized by the Association for Corporate Support for the Arts (Mécénat Awards) for its role in building a more prosperous society through promotion of culture and the arts.
Art and Planning Sponsorship
In order to realize an enriched society that gives people joy and inspiration in their lives, we support the promotion of art and culture by creating value through our business, as well as by sponsoring events and other art-related exhibitions outside the company.
Inquiries
For further information about current exhibitions, events or other cultural activities in general, please contact us below.