Now we’re allowed to walk around the empty room, and promptly discover that the rectangle is in fact an opening on the wall illuminated by hidden light sources. Naoshima (直島) is an island in the Seto Inland Sea of Japan.Although the island is much closer to the main Japanese island of Honshu, administratively it belongs to Kagawa Prefecture in Shikoku.. We already have this email. A short stroll from the hotel is a museum dedicated to the art of Lee Ufan, whose brilliant minimalism allows me to sink into a meditative state of reflection. It's a bit like staying at a modern art gallery. The island is often called “an art island” and her pumpkin sculpture is the symbol of the island. A museum designed by and dedicated to the renowned architect is also located on the island. The space gleams white from the natural light peering through a white stone ceiling. Once on the island, I see that the word has spread far and wide: I now congregate with fellow pilgrims from Argentina, Canada and the UK. Join us on a 12-month journey to see them all, READ: How (not) to drink the best whisky in the world, MORE: The enchanting ancient forests of Japan's 'Eden'. "The unbelievable, almost holistic presentation of Monet's Water Lily paintings made me see them in a light I had never before experienced.". Considered to be one of the world’s best museum for contemporary art, Chichu Art Museum, designed by Tadao Ando and nestled deep underground on the island of Naoshima, is both an intimate environment and a world-class institution.We explore Chichu’s collections and investigate what makes this Japanese museum so special. Naoshima, Japan’s Art Island. There are numbers of museums and outdoor art exhibits on the island including two of Kusama’s dotted pumpkins. In the museum's Claude Monet Space, a vast, pure white underground chamber is made up of hundreds of thousands of tiny stone tiles. I didn't expect my visit to the Japanese "art island" of Naoshima to remind me of the world of. Here’s why it has now been turned into one of the most incredible art destinations in the world. Limited accommodation on the island mean the number of visitors is limited. While admiring iconic pieces by the likes of Yves Klein, Cy Twombly, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Yasumasa Morimura, Andy Warhol and Richard Long, I rub shoulders with the lucky bunch actually staying at the hotel. The same as I did, Karam found the Claude Monet Space a shock. The undisputed queen of the archipelago dotting the Inland Sea is Naoshima, which has become the art destination under the auspices of Soichiro Fukutake and his Benesse Corporation. Japan’s hidden island has an incredible secret THIS remote island hides a beautiful secret. Twelve of these, known collectively as the “art islands,” are home to contemporary artworks and exhibits that have become an integral part of the islands’ scenery. "They've managed to create a perfect balance of light, sound, space, color and proportion, which makes the experience transcendent and unforgettable," says Rhea Karam, a New York-based fine arts photographer at work on a project inspired by Naoshima. The amphibious journey from Tokyo to Naoshima, which involves a variety of changeovers, trains and ferries, truly feels like an expedition to a distant holy site. Naoshima, a remote island in the Seto Inland Sea, has garnered a reputation as the prime destination for art devotees. Into the dark void of 'Minamidera'. While many of those islands remain quiet and uninhabited, Naoshima has been turned into one of the most remarkable art and architecture destinations in the world. Thanks for subscribing! Meanwhile, a carefully coordinated light show beams upwards from the slanted walls of the room I lean my head against – purposely built at a slight angle to provide support for the neck. There are many art museums and sculptures on the island. Stylish accommodations. Enlisted by Fukutake to supervise development on the southern portion of the island, Ando went to work over the next two decades designing a hotel complex and museums. The Setouchi Triennale (also known as the Setouchi International Art Festival) is a contemporary art festival held every three years on a dozen islands in the Seto Inland Sea (Setonaikai), the sea which separates Honshu and Shikoku, two of Japan's main islands.It was first held in 2010. Benesse House offers guests opportunities to get close to great art and spend a uniquely rewarding time in dialogue with the works and with themselves. After five minutes, the rectangle takes on a lighter shade of grey before eventually turning white. As it’s the year of the Setouchi Triennale, with additional temporary installations on Naoshima and the neighbouring islands, I make my pilgrimage to the most coveted art shrine in the world. ; Honshu - the largest and most populous island with the capital Tokyo. Hokkaido - the northernmost and second largest main island. Opened in 2004, the island's Chichu Art Museum showcases its collection in spectacular and unexpected ways. After short visits to ‘Kadoya’, ‘Go’o Shrine’, ‘Gokaisho’ and the ‘Ando Museum’, I have lunch at a nearby udon shop followed by coffee at the cosy Café Konichiwa. Oval is connected to the Benesse House Museum by a monorail accessible only to Oval guests. Where is Naoshima. The best way to go for an island tour is to rent a bike or a car to save time. If you're visiting at other times of the year, some works are permanent island fixtures. Here's what to know if you're planning a pilgrimage. Since the 1980s, Fukutake has commissioned numerous site-specific installations by greats from the pantheon of art, including Lee Ufan, James Turrell and Walter de Maria, housed in monumental buildings designed by Tadao Ando. In Turrell’s ‘Open Sky’, a great example of the artist’s famous ‘skyspaces’, a square opening on the ceiling of a room transforms the familiar sky into a framed canvas. The scenic trek begins with a train ride (consider a JR pass ) to either Uno or Takamatsu Port where a ferry ticket is must then be bought for Naoshima's ferry terminals, either Miyanoura (most common) or Honmura. Photo by Kimon Berlin. "Growing up in Paris, I was very familiar with Monet's work and accustomed to seeing it everywhere to the point that I wasn't particularly interested when I heard he was displayed in the Chichu Art Museum," says Karam. Comprised of four different lodgings (Museum, Oval, Park, Beach), the hotel's rooms all provide incredible views of the Seto Inland Sea and have beautiful art of their own. Stay at some of the world’s most unique and luxurious hotels and ryokans . If you are enamored by modern architecture, minimalist art and the most beautifully finished slabs of concrete on the planet, then there might just be: its name is Naoshima, off the coast of Honshu, Japan. The "art island" of Naoshima is dotted with calming concrete installations a world away from Tokyo's frenetic pace. My first stop is ‘Minamidera’, a James Turrell piece inside a wooden building designed by Tadao Ando. Pico Iyer enjoys a moment of serenity Mood indigo: Benesse House, a … Just as the art has been designed for the island, the buildings that house the works have been designed to maximize the impact of the art. In addition to riding a train or driving a car to Okayama city, visitors have to board a ferry to access Naoshima's cultural offerings. Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! Teshima island is a continuation of Benesse Art Site Naoshima. Understand []. As my pupils very gradually dilate, I begin to make out a dark grey rectangle suspended on the opposite end of the room. Major exhibitions and projects include: Un luogo sulla terra (1997, Japanese Pavillion, 47th Venice Biennale), Being Called (1997, Galerie im Karmeliterkloster, … When the 45-minute night programme begins, the blue opening gradually starts changing colour and is bathed in shades of pink, red and blue before eventually fading into black. Naoshima (直島) is an island in the Seto Inland Sea that is known for its modern art museums, architecture and sculptures. The timeless architecture of Ando, ubiquitous throughout the island, has become inseparable from the topography, as if the concrete here was growing naturally amongst the exotic flora and fauna. While small inns have been cropping up on the island, a stay at the hotel Benesse House remains by far the best way to get the full Naoshima experience. There's a perfect beach for every week of the year. After we feel our way towards a bench we are instructed to sit on – apparently the only object in the room – the shuffling ceases and silence ensues. The five main islands of Japan are:. Though Ando’s many buildings on the island are undisputed artworks in their own right – even inspiring some neologism-hungry critics to call him an ‘art-itect’ – the Chichu Art Museum is his true masterpiece. Those who make the journey here couldn't possibly forget it. Benesse House Museum is a combination museum and hotel. Visitors to the Honmura side can pick up a map from the Honmura Lounge, a visitor's center and gift shop, and take part in a treasure hunt around the old castle town to find the art projects hidden in century-old houses. The former is a small museum designed by Tadao Ando featuring his architecture; the latter is a project that turns empty houses into works of art. The Lee Ufan Museum. In my skyward gaze, I marvel at the kaleidoscope of colour compositions melding the sky and the ceiling into the most beautiful painting. This is the main island, where Tadao Ando built his architectural … That same year, the company established the Benesse Prize at the Venice Biennale, commissioning winners to create works specifically for BASN, which includes Naoshima and the nearby islands of. Exploring Naoshima's underground galleries, I was reminded again and again of Myst's mysterious mechanical structures, right down to the discovery of "puzzles" that visitors are meant to figure out on their own. A group of Japanese artists rejuvenated the island. It is between Honshu and Kyushu. Located in Japan’s Seto Inland Sea, they are the unlikely home of the Benesse Art Site, a striking facility that melds art and architecture with nature. Heads up! A must-see for contemporary art fans is the site-specific and community-focused art festival which showcases works from both Japanese and international artists. A remote island with stunning underground architecture. Today, it is a must-visit destination for art lovers and travellers seeking a one-of-a-kind holiday. Located in the Seto Island Sea, south of Okayama, Naoshima is popularly known as “an art island.” Its transportation system is well equipped for tourism, and its 20 plus art exhibits and museums take a full day, or more, to fully appreciate. Naoshima's transformation into a unique art project began in 1987, when Soichiro Fukutake, the chairman of Fukutake Publishing, now known as the Benesse Holdings, Inc., purchased the south side of the island. Benesse operates a free shuttle bus from Benesse House Museum to nearby Lee Ufan Museum and Chichu Art Museum. Japan's famous "art island" however, requires more dedication. Even if you have only a little time, this island is an intriguing and worthwhile excursion. Having disembarked at Miyanoura Port, I hop on a bus and zip past one of Yayoi Kusama’s ‘Pumpkins’, which have become the unofficial mascots of the Triennale, and make my way to the other side of the island. Permanent site-specific work: Being Given (2001, Kinza Naoshima Art House Project, Benesse Art Site Naoshima). I alight at the Honmura Area, which is home to the Art House Project comprising seven traditional houses converted into art projects. It was the same everywhere I went on the island -- quiet, stupefying displays of beauty and art with breathtaking sea or landscapes in the background. Opened at Benesse Art Site Naoshima in 1992, Benesse House is both a museum and a hotel, incorporating guest rooms and space for display of contemporary art. By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. Since 1995, many of those pieces have been created specifically for the island. Walter De Maria's 'Time/Timeless/No Time'. Photo by Chiu Heiyan. Japan’s Seto Inland Sea is a placid stretch of water cushioned between three of Japan’s main islands — Honshu, Kyushu, and Shikoku — populated by a hazy, pine-cloaked archipelago of some 3,000 islands. The Setouchi Islands are particularly known for their thriving local art scene. Photo by Forgemind ArchiMedia. Just as the art has been designed for the island, the buildings that house the works have been designed to maximize the impact of the art. The shuttle also runs to the more removed Honmura District, once a castle town, on the island's east side, where the Ando Museum and the Art House Project are located. Some 3,000 islands dot the Seto Inland Sea of Japan, which separates Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu, three of the four main islands of. Visitors remove their shoes at the entrance and are given soft slippers. Now they misdirect perplexed tourists who just want to see some art and exit through the gift shop. Map: https://goo.gl/gOjTUp Access: Ferry from the main island or Shikoku island. We’re working hard to be accurate – but these are unusual times, so please always check before heading out. The flock soon disperses across the island, families and lone travellers busy with their own schedules. Known for its waterfront pumpkin sculptures, it also has a wealth of other outdoor art and museums mixed in with its old industrial infrastructure and traditional villages. The centrepiece of de Maria’s ‘Time/Timeless/No Time’ in Chichu, a large sphere of polished granite reposing on a flight of stairs in a vast subterranean room, has an alien or almost religious quality to it, suggesting the elemental mystery of the monolith in Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. ; Shikoku - the second smallest main island after Okinawa. A massive crypt lined with copper bars, a colossal sphere at its center. Seascape from Naoshima. After trumpeting the death of faith with their Gabriel’s horn, pundits of our secular century have crowned art as the new religion, with the museum as its church. Visitors often refer to it as "Ando Island," since most of the structures on the island were designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Tadao Ando. This must be what they call the ineffably sublime. When our time is up, we emerge out into the sunlight like the inhabitants of Plato’s cave, with a renewed sensitivity and appreciation for the world around us. MORE: The enchanting ancient forests of Japan… Naoshima is reached by ferry from the ports of Uno (near Okayama) and Takamatsu. Okinawa - the smallest and southernmost of the main islands. The sleepy island with just 3000 inhabitants is an unlikely art hub, but since the opening of the Benesse House Museum in the early 90s, art has revitalised the island. It's been more than a decade since I played the game, but that strange, beautifully desolate island and the eerie feeling of wandering around it alone have stayed with me. ; Kyushu - the third largest main island and nearest to the Asian continent. Mazes made of stone that lead from one underground chamber to another, each differing in shape and size. Upon entering the building with a small group in tow, I try to navigate my way in pitch-black darkness, feeling a wave of anxiety approaching since this is what I imagine blindness to be. Here, Ando’s architecture goes beyond providing artists with grand interiors to display their work, becoming part and parcel of the art itself. Naoshima is Japan’s art island. And, of course, an overall unusually art-filled island. Naoshima Island is a small island in Japan’s Seto Inland Sea known for its contemporary art galleries and outdoor sculptures. Adhering to his guiding principle of designing buildings that follow the natural forms of landscapes, Ando's buildings on the island blend into or are built into the earth, some of them opening up to the sky. Check their website for more details. The next triennale is expected to take place in 2022. Some are outdoors. Naoshima is famous for its contemporary art museums as well as outdoor contemporary art installations throughout the island. To extend the analogy, art’s mecca now appears to lie on the east coast of Japan – more specifically, in the Seto Inland Sea, where the Sea of Japan meets the Pacific. Déjà vu! Up until the early 90s, Naoshima was a remote island in Japan’s Seto Inland Sea, with an ailing fishing and copper smelting industry. The Benesse House complex comprises four exclusive hotels designed by Ando, including the Museum branch, which houses a great collection of contemporary art. 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