Abstract

The National University of Singapore sponsored ISEA2008’s Artist In Residence programme. What does this mean for Singapore, that its premier university funded these artists? This generates a new kind of dynamics for NUS and for Singapore. In this keynote, Sam Furukawa will discuss how the artist can work with society and corporations. In today’s world, how can artists work together with corporations to obtain funding, yet create meaningful and innovative art? He will speak about how Japan became an exporter of art and culture and what this means for Asian countries and the world.

• Susumu ‘Sam’ Furukawa was born in Tokyo, Japan, in 1954. He studied at the Faculty of Human Studies, Wako University, but left to join Ascii Media Works Inc. in 1979, to build their publishing and software development business. He served as director for four years prior to retirement in 1986. In 1986, Mr. Furukawa established Japan Microsoft Corporation. He has served in numerous positions at Microsoft Japan, including President in 1991, CEO and Director of Far Eastern Development Department for Microsoft USA, Vice President, and in 2004, as the Chief Technical Officer. In June 2006, he joined Keio University as Professor with the Digital Media Contents Global Research Lab, after resigning from Microsoft in 2005. He is currently a Professor with the Graduate School of Media Design, Keio University.