STUDIO SYNCANDI [SɪN ˈKÆNDI] IS AN INDEPENDENT ARTIST STUDIO BASED IN KYOTO JAPAN
Mobilising narrative art to communicate good philosophy, culture and science to the general public
We make art projects about social progress and potential futures. The future is now. Survival depends on constant improvement. Improvement requires knowledge. Knowledge requires creativity. Progress is unbounded.
We consider art as our imaginative response to what life could be. We understand the power of storytelling and take advantage of the effectiveness of all forms of narrative art in communicating complex philosophical, cultural and scientific ideas to the general public.
Our projects cast a simultaneously optimistic and critical gaze upon human culture, exploring how the dynamic of emotions, creativity and science affect cultural evolution.
We accept aesthetic and moral objectivity.
We directly engage with experts and conduct extensive research to ensure the accuracy of our artistic provocations.
Our projects are inclusive and collaborative, they involve creative people in the arts, sciences and the humanities.
Learn about our art installation — I in the 22nd Century : A Future History of Japan
The Studio Syncandi Story so far . . .
2015 – 2017
Established in March 2015 by artist, composer, filmmaker, writer and radio producer Roberto Iolini, Studio Syncandi was intended to be a digital platform to produce and distribute SYNCANDI — a narrative about life, love and death set in a future Japan. The project involved commissioning an international team of creatives in order to develop various media content. The team included an illustrator, songwriter, animator, 3D modeler and graphic designer.
In July 2016 Studio Syncandi began publishing the SYNCANDI narrative as a monthly series of ten digital comic issues accompanied by ten illustrations available as print posters illustrated by Polish artist Joanna Krótka.
Japanese language editions of the original comic and poster series are available from Japanese Online Artists Marketplace Pixiv Booth
The SYNCANDI Graphic Novel is available on Comixology in ENGLISH and SPANISH.
2017- Present
In July 2017 founder Roberto Iolini decided to get back to his roots, so to speak, and mobilise Studio Syncandi towards producing socially provocative projects.
Iolini repurposed existing SYNCANDI content and through Studio Syncandi, commissioned new work to be created for — I in the 22nd Century : A Future History of Japan — a multi-art form storytelling installation about human cultural and biological evolution.
‘I in the 22nd Century : A Future History of Japan’ is a touring installation — in 2019 and 2020 it will be exhibited in Bogota, Colombia and Berlin, Germany.
Read about the i22 Project here.
Studio Syncandi — Production Team
Emi Morita
Liaison and Coordination Japan
Seki Hideya
Technical Adviser (i22 Project Installation) RYU Corporation Japan
Paolo Barberis
Technical Adviser Italy
Dr. Ross Gibson
Aesthetics Adviser Australia
David Nerlich
Visual Art Adviser Australia
Roberto Iolini
Founder and Director Japan | Australia | Italy
I in the 22nd Century — Artists
Joanna Krótka
Joanna is an illustrator based in Poland. She received her MFA in Graphic Arts in 2010. She works mainly in the fields of illustration and comics. Other times she’s busy fangirling. More information about Joanna can be found at www.joannakrotka.com
Nono Nagami
Nono was born in Kyoto in 1999. While not studying lacquer art at University, Nono spends her time playing bass guitar, illustrating, writing poetry and reading comics.
Chizu Ikura
Chizu started painting shodo at the age of 16 and studied calligraphy with Mr. Eguchi Oima. She Graduated from Kyoto Narashi Women’s Junior College Design Course majoring in oil painting. For over twenty years she worked as a exclusive kimono designer and dyer. Chizu began her professional career as a shodo artist in 2002. She has had solo and group exhibitions in Japan and Germany.
David Nerlich
David is an Australian creator of films, sounds and images. More information can be found on David’s website www.nerlich.org
White-Rice
White-Rice graduated with honours in Digital Arts and Photography in 2002 from the London College of Music and Media. Since then he has been travelling the globe learning about new cultures and taking photos. www.white-rice.co.uk
Ross Gibson
Ross Gibson is Centenary Professor of Creative & Cultural Research at the University of Canberra. In this role he works collaboratively to produce books, films and artworks and he supervises postgraduate students in similar pursuits. Details about Ross can be found here www.rossgibson.com.au