Dave Kulesza - Edo

Retro Futurism awakens a distinctive emotion within me when I encounter it in Japan's bustling urban landscape. These relics of the past, set amidst the sprawling cityscape, seem like sleeping giants, imposing yet out of place. Each one is unique in appearance, size, and location, sometimes dominant, sometimes easily overlooked, but all sharing a visionary quality from their creators. These architects, led by Kenzo Tange, the Metabolists, laid the foundations for this movement, envisioning a futuristic Japan after the devastation of World War II.

Upon arriving in Tokyo, I found these relics harder to discover than I expected, indicating a fading of the once-prominent Metabolism movement. Some of these structures stood tall and commanding, like foreign beasts in a foreign land, while others remained hidden in the less-traveled streets. Although there may be more waiting to be found, those I encountered evoked a unique feeling in me. Retrofuturism, in this context, is not just a visual encounter but an emotional journey.