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Naoshima and Beyond: Japan’s Art Island with Simon Richmond

Naoshima and Beyond: Japan’s Art Island with Simon Richmond


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Can't make this time? A video recording will be sent to all participants after the seminar.

The island of Naoshima in Japan's Inland Sea has been cultivating itself as a contemporary art destination since 1989. In doing so, it has created a model for arts festivals and regional regeneration projects across Japan.

Naoshima is the living canvas for a dynamic ongoing art project that began in the late 1980s. Today this idyllic island in Japan’s Seto Inland Sea has become internationally famous for its clutch of unique art galleries designed by acclaimed Japanese architect Ando Tadao. There’s also a charming fishing village where wooden houses have been transformed into large-scale installations, a bathhouse that is a stunning work of art, and outdoor sculptures from major international and Japanese talent, including Kusama Yayoi, James Turrell, and Cai Gui Quang.

Travel writer Simon Richmond first visited Naoshima in 2000 while researching the Rough Guide to Japan and has returned several times since. In this seminar, he will take you behind the scenes to explain how this ambitious arts-led model for regional regeneration came about, and how it has developed to encompass projects on the neighboring islands of Teshima and Inujima and to spawn the Setouchi Art Triennale, held every three years since 2010.

Led by an expert on Japan and the author of many guidebooks to the country, Simon Richmond, this interactive seminar provides all you need to know about Naoshima, Japan’s premier contemporary art destination. Designed to inform curiosity as well as future travels, participants will come away with an increased understanding of how best to experience this beautiful, creative island and where else in Japan to find similar art museums, installations, and festivals.

Simon Richmond is a UK-based freelance journalist and photographer with over 25 years of experience of researching and writing travel guidebooks and other non-fiction books. After living in Tokyo in the early 1990s he co-wrote The Rough Guide to Japan (which was named Guidebook of the Year in 2000) and The Rough Guide to Tokyo. He has since written and contributed to over 150 guidebooks, most of which have been published by Lonely Planet. A former resident of Sydney, Australia and Boston, USA, the countries he has most frequently covered include Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, the UK and the USA. Find out more about him at www.simonrichmond.com.

This conversation is suitable for all ages.

90 minutes, including a 30 minute Q&A.

Customer Reviews

Based on 17 reviews
65%
(11)
18%
(3)
12%
(2)
6%
(1)
0%
(0)
A
Anonymous (Rochester, US)

Guest did not leave comment

J
J (Vancouver, CA)
Japan's magical "Art" Islands

So pleased to have taken this seminar. If you love contemporary art, Naoshima and the other islands in the Seto Sea need to be on your next visit to Japan..

T
T.A. (Toronto, CA)
Very knowledeable; great photos

I really got the sense of arriving at Naoshima and looking around at the various installations on the island and its neighbouring islands. Definitely whetted my appetite to explore the Seto Inland Sea area more, and to visit these islands. Also glad he included some other places in Japan where contemporary art is exhibited. The Kanazawa museum and the Kusama museum in Tokyo were already on my list, so it was nice to get an endorsement from the speaker.

A
Anonymous (Alexandria, US)
Very thorough and visually stimulating!

This was a lovely overview of contemporary art and museums on Naoshima and throughout Japan. Simon did a beautiful job of focusing in on some key examples of holdings at each collection covered, both illustrating and explaining the works in detail. Thank you Simon!

B
Bodo (Hertfordshire, GB)
Excellent - made me want to visit!

Really good, comprehensive look at Naoshima and the surrounding art islands. the speaker was very well informed (as one would expect from a guide book writer) and - crucially - able to communicate the information in an excellent and enjoyable manner. Recommended!

Customer Reviews

Based on 17 reviews
65%
(11)
18%
(3)
12%
(2)
6%
(1)
0%
(0)
A
Anonymous (Rochester, US)

Guest did not leave comment

J
J (Vancouver, CA)
Japan's magical "Art" Islands

So pleased to have taken this seminar. If you love contemporary art, Naoshima and the other islands in the Seto Sea need to be on your next visit to Japan..

T
T.A. (Toronto, CA)
Very knowledeable; great photos

I really got the sense of arriving at Naoshima and looking around at the various installations on the island and its neighbouring islands. Definitely whetted my appetite to explore the Seto Inland Sea area more, and to visit these islands. Also glad he included some other places in Japan where contemporary art is exhibited. The Kanazawa museum and the Kusama museum in Tokyo were already on my list, so it was nice to get an endorsement from the speaker.

A
Anonymous (Alexandria, US)
Very thorough and visually stimulating!

This was a lovely overview of contemporary art and museums on Naoshima and throughout Japan. Simon did a beautiful job of focusing in on some key examples of holdings at each collection covered, both illustrating and explaining the works in detail. Thank you Simon!

B
Bodo (Hertfordshire, GB)
Excellent - made me want to visit!

Really good, comprehensive look at Naoshima and the surrounding art islands. the speaker was very well informed (as one would expect from a guide book writer) and - crucially - able to communicate the information in an excellent and enjoyable manner. Recommended!