In the last week of March 2024, Professor Dvorak served as an advisor on a unique study tour/series of workshops focusing on trauma, memory, and renewal in Japan’s regions devastated by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, and the massive landslides from Typhoon 19 in 2019. His public lecture about resisting climate change in the Marshall Islands, held in Rikuzen Takata on March 23, drew a diverse audience, including Japanese creatives, civil servants, architects, researchers, and survivors of all ages from the disasters. This study tour, inspired by the work of artist Natsumi Seo and videographer Haruka Komori, who have spent the past decade listening to voices from the region, aimed to deepen understanding of these disasters’ impacts and the problematic nuances of “recovery.” As a collaborator, Dvorak visited Rikuzen Takata (Iwate Prefecture), as well as Kesennuma, Ishinomaki, and Marumori (Miyagi Prefecture), engaging with locals and exploring expressions like poetry and song to reflect on the landscapes of living amidst disaster. This initiative sought to connect communities, encourage solidarity, and inspire collective contemplation on societal issues, the problems of government-promoted infrastructure, and the future of living with an unpredictable climate.
