The international art festival "Aichi Triennale 2025" kicked off on Saturday, September 13th and will run for approximately two and a half months.
Held every three years in Aichi Prefecture, this is one of the largest contemporary art festivals in Japan. In addition to the usual venue of the Aichi Arts Center in Sakae, Nagoya, the Aichi Prefectural Ceramic Museum has also been selected, and this year the venue will be the center of Seto, a pottery production area.
This time, Minami Mirai from "Masukichi" will be showing us around the city from the perspective of a Seto town guide, sharing her honest impressions of having actually visited the downtown venues!
What is the International Art Festival "Aichi Triennale 2025"?
Aichi Triennale 2025 is the largest international art festival in Japan, held every three years in Aichi Prefecture. This year, for the first time, an international artist will be invited to serve as artistic director, Hoor Al Qasimi, an internationally active artist from the United Arab Emirates.
He is an incredible figure, having been ranked number one in the art world for 2024 by the British contemporary art magazine ArtReview.
This time the theme is "Between Ashes and Roses."
These thoughts are clearly stated on the website . When I walked around the venue, it was clear that the artists had grasped these intentions and were presenting them in their works, so I would like to share some excerpts with you.
Directed by Hoor Al Qasimi. At the "Talk Session in Seto," he greeted the audience in fluent Japanese.
"In the world we live in today, serious problems are emerging between humans and the environment, and the gap between the two is only widening. By examining this complex intertwining relationship between humans and the environment not from a human-centered perspective such as nation, territory, or ethnicity, but from a geological timeline, this art festival seeks to explore ways in which the two can trust, nurture, and complement each other. Furthermore, rather than focusing on the extreme binary opposition of ashes (apocalypticism) or roses (optimism), the festival attempts to unravel the world through nuanced thinking that lies in the 'in-between' between these two extremes."
With this fundamental point in mind, I would like to move on to giving you an introduction to the Seto venue!
Michael Rakowitz at "Umemura Shoten, a traditional Japanese house rental space"
Michael Rakowitz was the overseas artist I was personally most interested in. During his stay before the opening, he loved "Masukichi," a space we run, and was always in a good mood, saying things like "This is paradise," and "Seto is a great town!", and he had a great time.
So what kind of person is Michael as an artist?
I had the opportunity to speak with him personally, but my poor English skills meant I was unable to ask all of his questions, so I looked him up on the Internet and began to understand the vast and grand scope of his activities.
Michael is an Iraqi-American artist based in Chicago. His mother fled Baghdad, Iraq, during the conflict in the 1940s and came to the United States. He draws inspiration from this history in his work.
The group continues to carry out various art projects, one of which is " The Invisible Enemy Should Not Exist ," a project that recreates cultural heritage that has been destroyed or gone missing in Iraq using Iraqi newspapers and everyday items.
This project is being carried out in collaboration with the University of Chicago's Oriental Institute. It is an attempt to visualize the "invisible" aspects of cultural heritage - the sense of loss and memories of artifacts that have already been destroyed or looted and are missing.
The work being unveiled this time is a life-size reproduction of a relief panel from a palace in the ancient Assyrian Empire (present-day northern Iraq) that was destroyed by ISIS (Islamic State) during the chaotic period following the Iraq War.
This piece is missing its head and body, which is said to represent the destruction caused by ISIS.
For a few days after the opening, when Michael was present, he not only exhibited his works but also served "Okonomiyaki" (Okonomiyaki + Iraq) in the cafe space in front.
In his base in Chicago, USA, he has been working for many years on an art project called "Enemy Kitchen." In America, he had few opportunities to eat Iraqi food, so he uses recipes he learned from his mother to convey Iraqi culture through food, the foundation of the culture that is closest to him.
Masukichi representative Minami Shintaro and Michael.
This "Okonomiraki" is a Japanese okonomiyaki served with a sauce made from mango pickles and dates, which are commonly eaten in Iraq. Dates are also used as a secret ingredient in the " Otafuku Sauce ," which I thought was an amazing idea. Iraqi cuisine is known for its "sweet and sour" flavor, and it was quite delicious.
For many Japanese people, Iraq brings to mind the strong image of the Iraq War and gives the impression of being a somewhat scary country.
However, by incorporating food, which is something that everyone can easily be interested in, Michael is trying to foster interaction. I think it's wonderful that he goes beyond the artwork to try and foster interaction.
Rui Sasaki at "Kyu Nihon Kosen"
The most beautiful piece of work at the "Seto Machinaka" venue was "Unforgettable Gap," which was exhibited by glass artist Rui Sasaki at the "Kyu Nihon Kosen," which closed in 2021.
This work was created by collecting plants in Seto and encasing them in glass provided by a Seto glass company, discarded glass, and other glass that was an integral part of life in Seto.
Although it is not specifically stated, the plants used are apparently ancient plants that bloom in Seto, as well as plants collected from areas that were once left bald due to excessive firewood harvesting for climbing kilns, wetlands, roadsides, etc. The beauty of the exhibits is overwhelming, but it's also worth taking a closer look at each and every plant.
On the day I visited, Mr. Sasaki happened to be there and I was able to talk to him a little.
"How can we collaborate with art while respecting the location of a public bath? By making it dark, we transform the space from everyday to extraordinary. When it comes to Seto, people tend to focus on the pottery, but I think there are things that are hidden right under our feet. The concept is that if you look closely, you will see things."
As a Seto citizen, I was shocked when the former Nippon Kosen closed down. It was a very retro public bathhouse, with separate entrances for the men's and women's baths, a small woman sitting at the front desk, and the men's bath being pretty much completely visible. Even public bath lovers came from far away.
What will happen here in the future?
With these thoughts in mind, this venue was chosen and the doors were opened once again. I was already thrilled by that fact alone, but I was also delighted that the exhibition turned out to be so wonderful. I'll definitely go again.
Junko Oki at "Mufuan"
After climbing a fairly steep slope, you will arrive at Mufuan, the studio of art and craftsman Tatsukichi Fujii (1881-1964). Here you will find Junko Oki's works.
Nearly 100,000 donated needles are stuck into the clay, like a memorial service for worn-out needles. The image of the thousand needles, in which a thousand women sew one stitch at a time with red thread, is also superimposed on the needles, as a talisman to protect soldiers from bullets before going to war.
Oki creates works by layering stitches on fabric as a way of imprinting traces of life.
Next to Mufuan stands a monument shaped like a cannonball to the war dead of the Sino-Japanese and Russo-Japanese Wars, as well as a memorial tower for those who died in the Pacific War, and the works themselves seem to loom over you.
Even when I visit the site in my daily life, I don't pay much attention to the monument to the war dead or the memorial tower, despite their apparent size. However, encountering this work gave me a chance to rediscover what kind of place this was.
It said, "Leave your feelings in the stitches," so I did a little bit of embroidery and went home.
Robert Andrew at "Kasen Mine"
"What Lies Within"
This work mainly uses pottery clay extracted from the Kasen Mine, where the exhibition is held. The string vibrates as it is slowly pulled, digging up layers of clay, pigments, and soil.
Robert Andrew is a descendant of the Yawuru, an indigenous people of Western Australia.
This work is said to be an attempt to explore indigenous identity at the root of the Western education and values that we have received since childhood.
While adept at incorporating modern technology, he also tells the story of the history of the land and water passed down from his ancestors, and reflects on his own origins, language, and memories.
Bull's Words
This piece is created by dripping water from a machine installed in the air, gradually eroding the surface, and the word "Buru", which Andrew received from a Yawuru elder, emerges.
Bull is everything we see around us, from the earth to the sky and even time.
The work slowly changes over time.
When you visit, you can take your time to look at it, or you can visit several times during the exhibition period and observe how it changes.
Tomiyasu Yuma at "Pop-up shop (formerly a greengrocer) / Seto Ginza Shopping Street"
A pop-up shop located in the Seto Ginza Shopping Street.
This place, which was a greengrocer's until a few years ago, is now covered in impurities that were sorted out during the process of refining silica sand called "suna kira" from the Kasen Mine, which also serves as the venue, and is dotted with countless fragile flowers made from porcelain clay.
Yuma Tomiyasu is interested in the atmosphere of a place and the invisible, and makes use of paintings, videos, lighting, and other elements to create works that allow the viewer to experience the entire space.
Life and death, reality and fiction. About the realm in between.
The lighting in this venue changes from bright flickering fluorescent lights to bright red light, and then to no light at all. Does this ruin-like space suggest what will happen at the end of the world's never-ending conflict?
panpanya at "Matsuchiyokan" / Seto Suehirocho Shopping Street
Here, we would like to introduce some lighter and more familiar works.
At Matsuchiyokan in Seto Suehirocho Shopping Street, a work titled "What is it?" by manga artist panpanya is on display.
This is a story that travels back and forth between time and space, like the Seto Inland Sea of old and the present day, and is filled with the scenery of Seto Inland Sea, centered around kiln walls (fences or walls made by stacking pottery kiln tools).
The works are short enough to be read on the spot, and panels from the works are scattered throughout the town, making it fun to find them.
Adrian Vishal Rojas at "Former Seto City Fukagawa Elementary School"
One of these doors is the entrance.
Finally, we have Adrian Vishal Rojas, an Argentine-born artist who is not based in Argentina.
Title: "Poetry of the Earth"
An immersive simulation of the ecology of digitally rendered early humans (Homo sapiens, Neanderthals, and Denisovans) as a layered complex of organic, human, and man-made materials.
After reading this artist statement, I expected this to be the most difficult piece to understand even before I went in. When I showed my ticket, I was shown the entrance and told to enter through this door.
As soon as you enter, you sense the madness. It's like something is being thrown at you, as if to shun those who come inside.
Originally, it was printed on something like paper and stuck to the hand-washing area, but I started to worry unnecessarily that it would be extremely difficult to remove.
The work covers the entire first floor of the school building, including the hallways, staircases, and classrooms. The sheer scale of it is daunting.
These photos are just a few.
Where on earth am I and what era am I in?
As you walk, you will feel as if you are in a time machine and wandering through time and space.
How should I approach this work? I reread the introduction to the work that was written at the entrance, and I was able to get just a little hint.
"What if we could see and think about our species from an alien perspective - objective, unbiased, amoral and transcendent? What if we could look at ourselves from the end of our own path?"
Please come and see these stunning works with your own eyes.
[Event Information]
Aichi Triennale 2025 / Seto City Center Venue
Opening hours: 10:00 - 17:00 *Entry is until 15 minutes before closing (Seto City Museum is until 30 minutes before closing)
Closed: Tuesdays (if Tuesday is a public holiday, closed the following Wednesday)
*Open on Tuesday, November 25th Access: Each venue is approximately a 1-20 minute walk from Owari Seto Station on the Meitetsu Seto Line.
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Can you see all the the venue of Seto City in one day?
The venue of Seto Citye is within walking distance.
However, the sites are quite far apart, so I think it would be best to take one and a half to two days to see them all, considering your physical strength.
There are many collaborative projects taking place in the Seto area.
Additionally, Seto is a pottery production area, and pottery can be found everywhere, so I hope you enjoy walking around town.
" Masukichi " is a venue where Junko Oki's works are exhibited. It is located very close to Mufuan.
You may be tired after climbing a steep hill, so please drop in if you have time. You can relax in the cafe and enjoy our highly recommended Seto ware.
We can provide various information, so please drop by if you have time. Accommodation is also available!
Furthermore, we will be holding a mine tour at Kasen Mine, which is also a venue for Aichi. You will be able to enter the mine, which is off-limits at the venue. By getting to know the Seto region more deeply, you will be able to feel the meaning of the work even more strongly.
kouzan tour
October 12th (Sunday) or November 6th (Thursday)
Participation fee: 5,000 yen (tax included).
*The price includes a 1,000 yen coupon that can be used at "Masukichi."
Click here for details.
The Aichi International Art Festival 2025 has just begun.
This was an introduction to the "Seto Machinaka" venue. I hope this article will make you look forward to visiting!
