Tag: setouchi international art festival

Chichu Art Museum

Posted on by Hijiri

This week, I am going to take you all to Naoshima. This was one of my highlights of the trip, my friend and I spent our whole day and a half at Benesse Art Site — it was amazing! Really enjoyed everything. Must go back there again someday…

It’s a ferry boat ride away from Takamatsu port…

We are going to Chichu Art Museum today…

Pretty flowers were everywhere…

The word ‘chichu’ means ‘in the ground’ and true to its name, the Museum is built almost entirely into the hill. The bold design thus maintains harmony with the natural landscape. The architect used only the most basic materials – concrete, steel, glass and wood – to create this masterpiece. (via SIAF website)

It is designed by Tadao Ando — his work is truly amazing, the space, the concrete, the atmosphere… you have to be there and feel the space to know what I mean, you just get stunned by the whole space! Oh, I loved it.

Inside of the museum is strictly no photography… you just have to go there :) Even though there are only few work from Claude Monet, James Turrell, and Walter De Maria, the each room takes your breath away, I could only say “amazing” over and over again!!

There is a little outside area from the cafe…

and of course the great Seto Inland Sea view…

The building you see is the Benesse House hotel — where we stayed! I’ll talk about that later…

SIAF Special Package Designs

Posted on by Hijiri

There are a lot of gifts and souvenirs at the Setouchi International Art Festival special store in Takamatsu. I especially enjoyed looking at the cool package designs that have been created for the festival. They are all so great! And they are all local specialities that you can’t get anywhere, but in Takamatsu / Kagawa prefecture ;)

An udon package. It’s hard to see from this picture I took, but there is a wavy texture on the package. Really simple, but so cool.

A Kurodaizu Syochu (alcohol) bottle package. You will see more of this soon as I brought one back! Isn’t this lovely?

An ebi senbei (shrimp crackers) package. LOVE that the words “ebi senbei” forms into a shrimp.

and the box is letterpressed or foil stamped — it has a nice impression.

This is for Shoyu Mame. Love the lettering and simplicity. So retro!

Olive soda drink packages. Each has different illustrations.

A (special) Shoyu bottle. I also brought this back — so cute, right? This one also feels “showa retro” and I love it.

and these are called “Uchiwa” — a fan. Love the shape and fun designs.

They had a lot of kinds of Tenugui, too.

I hope you liked them as much as I did!

*****

It’s a long Labor day weekend here in US, I have a very good friend visiting all weekend, it’s going to be fun :) I hope you all have a great weekend!! I will be back on Tuesday :) xo Hijiri

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! :)

Equipoise

Posted on by Hijiri

After the Fukutake House, I walked over to…

(LOVE walking around the island!)

see “Equipoise” by Harumi Yukutake. Stepping into really old farm storehouse…

Using over 10,000 rectangular strips of glass, painstakingly shaped by hand, Yukutake creates a spiral inside an old farm storehouse. Stepping inside, the viewers find themselves reflected in the glass along with their surroundings, producing a labyrinth-like sensory experience.

Yes, you read it right, over 10,000 “handmade” strips of mirror glass! This is the work you have to be in it to see and feel… (couldn’t capture well…)

(do you see my eye?)

You can go upstairs and look down the spiral…

I also enjoyed the surroundings — these benches were great!

and loved this texture of the house next to the farm storehouse…

Happy Friday!