You might be surprised to read about a festival held in Russia celebrating the cultural festivities of Japan similar to a summer festival or natsumatsuri. This unlikely partnership between Japan and Russia came from various appeals and efforts to bring the two nations together through sharing cultural experiences such as art, music, theatre, and technology.
The fruits of charity organisations
Philanthropists come from a wide range of backgrounds, from heirs of wealthy families to adventurous billionaires. Most of their efforts are towards humanitarian works such as providing help in various sectors of the community that need it. Festivals are great ways to bring philanthropists and business sponsors together in working towards a unified goal. One of the J-fest’s recurring sponsors is the International Chodiev Foundation.
The International Chodiev Foundation was built by Fattah Chodiev as his avenue to pursue philanthropic efforts ranging from donating to charities, providing scholarships and grants from his alma mater, and much more. One of his greatest feats is saving the Itchiku Kubota Museum’s collection from bankruptcy.
The Kubota Collection
One of J-fest’s notable attractions is the presentation of the Kubota collection sponsored by the ICF. These art pieces are a collection of Itchiku Kubota’s famous works which include the series entitled “Symphony of Light”. Highlighting his fascination with the sky and the natural colours of nature, he depicted the changing of the seasons in a spectacular fashion. These paintings are uniquely and artfully presented through an array of tsujigahana kimonos, which is a form of brush painting and embroidery on kimonos which was a traditional art form in the 16th century. Kubota managed to bring the art form back and add his spin to the formula by applying different colour schemes and patterns that make them a mesmerising spectacle for viewers.
Celebrating J-Fest
The Festival of Contemporary Japanese culture, or J-Fest, is the brainchild of various sponsors who aim to bring the culture of Japan to Moscow. The festival is the most anticipated showcasing of the latest technological trends in Japanese culture along with its traditional performances of the arts. J-Fest takes inspiration from the summer festivities of Japan known as Natsumatsuri where it functions as a holiday with events and activities for both adults and children alike to enjoy. This festival made it possible for the exchanging of culture between the two nations and has continued to be a potent indicator of the two’s bond, with the festival going strong since 2009.
Besides the J-Fest in Moscow, a similar complementary festival is celebrated in Japan which showcases similar avenues for Japanese people to experience first-hand some different aspects of Russian culture from arts to theatre performances.
Through the combined efforts of the two nations, people can enjoy and express their nationalism and pride for their culture being showcased to partner countries. J-Fest is a tangible example of how partnerships between two countries are born not just from business contracts but also through the sharing of the arts.
Image: Pixabay.com
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