Islands of creativity

Chinese artists will take part in the Setouchi Triennale, an art festival held to stave off the economic effects of depopulation and aging communities in Japan, Deng Zhangyu reports. 

Setouchi Triennale, a large-scale outdoor art festival held across a dozen of Japan's islands, will offer art lovers a more than 100-day cultural journey, which spans three seasons and comprises various art events starting from April 26.

The contemporary-art festival, which is held every three years, was established in 2010 to revitalize islands in Japan's Seto Inland Sea that have suffered from depopulation and aging communities for years.

Artists and architects are invited to produce works on 12 islands and in two coastal cities. They often transform abandoned old houses into art installations or display their work in outdoor areas that enjoy beautiful scenery, such as established Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama's iconic yellow pumpkin, which sits on a wharf and has become a landmark on the island of Naoshima. It regularly attracts visitors who go to take photos with it.

The Setouchi Triennale 2019 will display 184 artworks by established artists and art groups from about 30 nations and regions, including some Chinese artists.

The news conference unveiling details of the coming triennial was held in Beijing recently, demonstrating the importance the festival places on Chinese visitors, who accounted for a significant number of those who attended last year's Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale-the world's largest art festival that spans 200 villages in northwestern Japan's mountainous area. Both art festivals were founded to revitalize areas facing the problem of depopulation.