Continuing my adventure at the International 11th International Shibori Symposium, 2018, early Saturday morning we traveled by bus, then ferry, to the “art site” islands of Inujima, Teshima and Naoshima. The day was foggy and cloudy, making it perfect for photography. The mix of nature, sounds of sea and birds, smells and contemporary art was powerful. One could easily spend a full day on each of these islands. Inujima is the site of the Inujima Seirensho Art Museum, set in a former copper smelting plant, one large art installation involving perceptual tricks from mirrors and shafts of light in low-light situations. The island also houses 5 Art House projects by leading architects, nestled in and around traditional village houses. Visiting them took you on well-marked trails through the villages, which became a visual experience in and of itself.
The next island, Teshima, is home to the Teshima Art Museum and other art houses. Like most of the larger museums, the Teshima did not allow photography, but it was a deeply felt experience in an amazing outdoor space. Some of the many island visitors rent bicycles to visit it and the other art spaces.
Finally, we traveled to Naoshima, where we stayed at the well known Benesse House for two nights. The Benesse is an upscale hotel within a museum. Naoshima has a host of other art sites: the more informal Art House Projects in the town of Honmura, and the monumental Lee Ufan Museum and Benessee Art Museum up the hillside. I was particularly impressed with the Lee Ufan Museum, with its particular combination of art, video, sculptural stone. Installations at the sea along the road completed the experience, which for me also included some drawing and photography of one of my pieces on the pier. The smell of the sea along with the kelp beds and small fish was evocative. The plastic trash caught in the tides was sad. We ended up the evening with another really long, big meal at Benessee house.
