On Art: Destination Japan

February 3, 2010 By: David Eisen

We have the scoop on Japan's art scene. Here's a lisiting of festivals and events you need to check out this year if you are headed to the Land of the Rising Sun.

Setouchi International Art Festival (July 19 – October 3)
The Japan’s Seto Inner Sea, known as Setouchi, is the home of the global modern art destination of Japan. The International Art Festival takes place on the several scattered small islands in Setouchi. The event hosts more than 40 artists from all over the world including Japan’s world renowned architect Tadao Ando and Kazuyo Sejima. For more information about Setouchi International Art Festival, go to http://setouchi-artfest.jp/en.

Aichi Triennale (August 21 - October 31)
Aichi, the home of Toyota Motors, will host a three-year-interval art festival. Aichi Triennale 2010 focuses on the relationship between arts and cities, bringing art world’s big names such as Yayoi Kusama. The installation will be on the street corners of Nagoya’s local daily life. Nagoya’s historic textile wholesale industry plays an important role behind this event: Choja-machi district has a long history of textile wholesale business, and will be a unique local art site to the triennale in addition to other major event sites of Aichi Art Culture Center and Nagoya City Museum. For more information, go to http://aichitriennale.jp/en/.

Shigaraki Pottery Triennale 2010 (October 1 – November 23)
Shigaraki pottery is one of Japan’s six oldest pottery manufacturing methods. In Shiga Prefecture, the Shigaraki Art Festival has a special focus on pottery-oriented pieces. For 54 days in this fall, Shigaraki displays international ceramic designs done by avant-garde artists as well as centuries-old traditional potteries. The event involves two major nearby art museums, the Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park (http://www.sccp.or.jp/) and MIHO MUSEUM (http://www.miho.or.jp/), which is well known for the I.M. Pei designed museum facility. Go to http://tri.shigaraki-sp.com/english/ for more information.