Had been hearing good things about it. Claims to be the largest outdoor art show, at 760 sq m. Thought it'd be an "exclusive" event (ie, not that many will know of it) - that is, until U-Magazine in HK reported it!!! So we went the weekend before it closes. Though didnt get to go to all the sites we marked (which was aggressive anyways), we'd had a good trip, relying on public transport (cant rent a car, all out). Almost 300 outdoor artworks, with representations from all countries.
Loved the work by the Russian duo, Ilya & Emilia Kabakov called "The Rice Field" at the main site, which was widely featured on covers of publications, with "farmers" working on the terraced rice paddies. When seen from a specific spot, you will get the "combined poetry, landscape and sculpture" which is the charm of the piece.
Yayogi Kasama's crazy colorful flower installation "Tsumari in Bloom" was right next to it, greeting everyone arriving at the train station, and clearly was a hit with many - and apparently herself as well, who said "of all the open-air sculptures I have created, this is my favorite". Slightly up the hills, the giantic hanging color pencils by Pascale Marthine Tayou (Cameron born, Belgium based) was another key attraction. His work was seen in Venice in 2005.
Went to the Fukutake House, which was meant to invite galleries from all over the work to submit work. Did saw Qiu Zhijie's camofluge lion-dragon dance work "The Thunderstorm is Slowly Approaching" from Long March Space. Tomio Koyama Gallery put up a show occupying the entire gym of the school with just one artist, Satoshi Onho (great PR value?!). But besides these, overall this was a bit underwhelming (and far from anywhere else).
Another school-turn-exhibition site is the "Last Class" by Frenchmen Christian Boltanski and Jean Kalman. They transformed the desserted school into a hulk of haunting nostalgia, and brought their 2006 piece "the absence of human beings" to the site. The heatbeats of visitors were recorded (and played at the venue!) for another art festival in 2010.
The Medicine Herbman Cafe Project is a fun idea. Herbs that are effective for each part of the body were grown "in the right places" in the human-shaped "grass/lanscape sculpture". There's a herb cafe in business selling drinks that heal - a fun concept, maybe with a Chinese twist, I can see that in WKCD too!
Lots of schools taken over for site-specific work - great use of otherwise useless buildings. But also tells clearly of the aging problem in Japan - high schools in countryside Niigata dont have any students anymore!
Overall, I can see why Niigata should be exciting about the event (though it's only once every 3 years). Local riyokans were full, rental cars were all out, we consumed, spent, and rode trains that we otherwise wont have. Outdoor art in a great setting is a delightful idea, and a great tourist draw. Clearly it wont work just anywhere - I can see cultured and sophisticated Japanese do that - seniors, young couples flocking to the site (we went in the penultimate weekend before it closes). But wont necessarily work in say....China? HK?!
Loved the work by the Russian duo, Ilya & Emilia Kabakov called "The Rice Field" at the main site, which was widely featured on covers of publications, with "farmers" working on the terraced rice paddies. When seen from a specific spot, you will get the "combined poetry, landscape and sculpture" which is the charm of the piece.
Yayogi Kasama's crazy colorful flower installation "Tsumari in Bloom" was right next to it, greeting everyone arriving at the train station, and clearly was a hit with many - and apparently herself as well, who said "of all the open-air sculptures I have created, this is my favorite". Slightly up the hills, the giantic hanging color pencils by Pascale Marthine Tayou (Cameron born, Belgium based) was another key attraction. His work was seen in Venice in 2005.
Went to the Fukutake House, which was meant to invite galleries from all over the work to submit work. Did saw Qiu Zhijie's camofluge lion-dragon dance work "The Thunderstorm is Slowly Approaching" from Long March Space. Tomio Koyama Gallery put up a show occupying the entire gym of the school with just one artist, Satoshi Onho (great PR value?!). But besides these, overall this was a bit underwhelming (and far from anywhere else).
Another school-turn-exhibition site is the "Last Class" by Frenchmen Christian Boltanski and Jean Kalman. They transformed the desserted school into a hulk of haunting nostalgia, and brought their 2006 piece "the absence of human beings" to the site. The heatbeats of visitors were recorded (and played at the venue!) for another art festival in 2010.
The Medicine Herbman Cafe Project is a fun idea. Herbs that are effective for each part of the body were grown "in the right places" in the human-shaped "grass/lanscape sculpture". There's a herb cafe in business selling drinks that heal - a fun concept, maybe with a Chinese twist, I can see that in WKCD too!
Lots of schools taken over for site-specific work - great use of otherwise useless buildings. But also tells clearly of the aging problem in Japan - high schools in countryside Niigata dont have any students anymore!
Overall, I can see why Niigata should be exciting about the event (though it's only once every 3 years). Local riyokans were full, rental cars were all out, we consumed, spent, and rode trains that we otherwise wont have. Outdoor art in a great setting is a delightful idea, and a great tourist draw. Clearly it wont work just anywhere - I can see cultured and sophisticated Japanese do that - seniors, young couples flocking to the site (we went in the penultimate weekend before it closes). But wont necessarily work in say....China? HK?!
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