Category: Japan

Sea Gull’s Parking Lot

Posted on by Hijiri

Last post from Megijima (Setouchi International Art Festival — it’s going on until October 31st!) :: Sea Gull’s Parking Lot by Takahito Kimura.

Kimura has placed a host of weathercocks near the fishing port. When the wind blows, they turn en masse, giving the invisible wind a visible form. The work brings the visitors’ attention to the natural phenomena that abound on the island.

These sea gull weathercocks were placed everywhere around the port. When I first saw it, I thought they were real… :) I love that concept of “giving the invisible wind a visible form” — so cool.

A couple other art work I saw…

Flower / Happy Snake by Jose de Guimaraes. These welcome signs are also placed at the Takamatsu port and the various islands hosting the festival, each is differently created by the artist.

and Megi House project by Aichi Prefectural University of Fine Arts and Music: Led by landscape designer Kimio Tsuchiya, the project team has transformed the courtyard of an empty house into a stage that integrates internal and external space. Concerts and performances are planned during the festival. The main building will be used as the Fine Arts Department atelier and gallery.

Couldn’t take pictures inside of the house, but even the outside of the house was cool. Love the “Megi House” sign, too. (above)

Time to move on to next island! :)

Fukutake House 2010

Posted on by Hijiri

Continuing my posts from Megijima this week…

#37 :: Fukutake House 2010

Fukutake House is a project started by seven of Japan’s leading art galleries and the University of Tokyo’s University Museum at the “Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennial 2006,” in response to a call from Soichiro Fukutake to create an art market in Echigo-Tsumari. At the following Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennial in 2009, art galleries from China and Korea joined the call, and the total number of attendees more than doubled that of 2006. For the third opening of the Fukutake House, we are moving it to Megijima Island to give it a new try in a new location. This time, we plan not only to be joined by galleries from Asia, but also by galleries and art museums from throughout the whole world. We plan to open the Fukutake House at the former Megijima Elementary School and Preschool, which are currently not being used.

I loved this one personally, not only I could see lots of different art from art galleries all over the world (inside is strictly NO photography so no photos to share), but also…

all these typographic installation!! As soon as I saw it, I was in love :) Inside the school (yes, they took over Megijima Elementary School & Preschool, which was another awesome part of this project.), throughout the exhibition, these wooden letters are used for art work titles and indication of the different rooms etc… I loved it!

20th Century Recall

Posted on by Hijiri

There are more posts from the Setouchi International Art Festival… it’s gonna take me 2 more weeks or so to write about all I saw… I hope you stay with me, I try to mix in some other posts, too :)

This week, I’m taking you all to the one of the islands in Seto Inland Sea, Megijima (Megi Island / 女木島)!

From the Takamatsu port — right in front of the Liminal Air art I posted last week — you take this ferry…

((If you are familiar with the story of Momotaro, Megijima is where Momotaro went to fight the Onis… also known as Onigashima))

From Takamatsu, it is 200 yen and 20 minutes away.

Calm and gorgeous Seto Inland Sea…

Hello, Megijima!

As you get out of the boat, you can’t help but notice this awesome installation… entitled “20th Century Recall -What is “TODAY” of Asia-” by Hagetaka Funjo.

Consisting of four sails on a grand piano, this installation resembles a ship at anchor. At times, music flows from the work to create a melody that resonates with the sound of the waves.

I didn’t get to listen to the music, but right next to the title card, there was a list of the songs that you could enjoy with the sound of the waves…

It reminded me of pirates…

You can sit here and be a part of the installation…

Very surreal… it was awesome…

Souvenir From Japan -Shibori Eco Bag-

Posted on by Hijiri

I’m going to start a new blog post series called “Souvenir From Japan” :) I bring back lots of stuff each time I visit there and I think it’s fun to share them here! As you know, that country has so much cool and fresh stuff… shopping in Japan is SO awesome. (New York, too, though!)

The first up is my Shibori Eco Bag. This is actually the first thing I bought in this trip. Found at Tokyo’s Tokyo store in Haneda airport. The shop is really cool, filled with lots of cool Japanese latest trends, books and souvenirs.

So this eco bag, it’s really small when nothing is in it.

It says it changes its shapes depending on what you put in it.

Like this :)

It is really light and just the right size to put little stuff when I go out to the grocery store or running errands… it’s also so small that you can put this in your bag and use it when you need it. And the best thing about it is that it looks so cute! This is a score for sure.

Comes in lots of different colors and there was other shibori pattern version as well.