Projects on the islands of Honjima, Takamijima, Awashima, and Ibukijima, which have joined the Triennale for the fall session, are generating an enthusiastic response. Through painstaking trial and error, the artists invited from various parts of Asia have done a wonderful job of breathing new life into the sites they chose. I particularly recommend visiting Ibukijima, the westernmost of the Triennale islands, which has a collection of very impressive works.
There are new developments on the islands participating in all three sessions as well. Although unfortunately, Fosse d’Orchestre which floats on the sea in the Noma district of Shodoshima can’t be viewed, Leftover by Yuma Matsumoto + Wara Art Japan on Shodoshima is drawing many families and children. Meanwhile, on Ogijima, Gregor Schneider’s Unknown Work 2019 has evolved strikingly. I am profoundly grateful to the staff for their perseverance.
Yesterday, I went to Oshima. Valuable Cargo by Christiaan Bastiaans is an amazing film with a star-studded cast that includes Liv Ullmann, Rayna Campbell, Angela Molina, Anne Ratte-Polle, Claron McFadden, Stefan Stern, Nora Céline Ramakers, Yoshi Oida, and Yoshito Ohno. Even if you’ve been to Oshima, I highly recommend going again. I’m looking forward to the performance in Takamatsu on November 1 and 2 as well, which will feature live performances by Akira Emoto, Maruschka Detmers, Shizuka Ishibashi, and Hélène Vrijdag.
And that reminds me, today I went to The Story of Setouchi: Awashima by Setouchi Girls’ Theater on Awashima. The performance by a theater group comprised of women who were once girls in Setouchi was very refreshing. Again, I am deeply grateful to all the staff involved.
The potential of the projects on each island is clearly unfolding. Set against the beautiful blue sky and sea of autumn, the fall session is off to a wonderful start.
Postscript: I saw Safari P’s one-night-only performance of The Notebook (Le Grand Cahier) at Shikokumura. Very well done!
