One of the reasons why we went to Shōdoshima on Sunday was to visit the MeiPAM art gallery that I had heard about a few months ago, but hadn’t had the chance to visit yet.
This gallery is not affiliated with Art Setouchi, but that will happen pretty soon as it will be part of the Setouchi Triennale 2013.
I didn’t expect anything in particular except see interesting things and I was not disappointed.
First of all, you need to know that MeiPAM is divided into three buildings, all located in the same neighborhood of Tonoshō. The first and main one, MeiPAM 1 has a very interesting look with a very original entrance that is a work of art in itself – Heisei Maze Spiral by Noboru Makizuka – a spiral staircase covered with mirrors inside and that you climb to access the building in the second floor (the building has three floors, but you enter through the second one). Inside there are three rooms with one installation or exhibit each.
From the outside, one can also access a small shop. On the terrace, that’s on the street, there are a few regular events like this little market/workshop that was there on Sunday and where little objects and food items were being sold. Unfortunately we didn’t spend much time at the market, it was pretty much ending and the music was a bit loud for 華 (who was visiting an island for the first time in her life – yep, that island was not Ogijima, I’m as surprised as you are about that).
The first room is full of old objects from the last Century. I don’t really know the details as everything was written in Japanese.
Above, on the third floor, there was an installation from an artist whose name escaped me (sorry):
Finally, on the first floor, Yuichi Hirano’s installation (no other than my friend Cathy‘s husband):
I took many more pictures, but unfortunately, those are the only decent ones.
MeiPAM 2 is a former rice and shōyu storage house. Inside could be seen La Via Nascosta, by the Italian artist Luca Roma:
Finally, in MeiPAM 3 – an old restaurant – has the works of a local artist, Yagyu Chubei. I heard that he lives right next door (to MeiPAM3, not to me) but unfortunately, I have to admit that I’m not a big fan.
In any case, MeiPAM is the kind of local initiative that I greatly appreciate, and if you’re in the area, I more than invite you to go visit it.
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I want to visit Shodoshima.
Actually I was thinking about this weekend, but I’ll go to Naoshima instead.
I guess the best way to travel is by car? I just heard that it’s expensive to bring your own car via ferry.
Could I manage to see almost everything in 2 days if I stay overnight and just use public transportation (bus or maybe rental bike)?
You really don’t need a car on Naoshima, and you can visit everything in one day (one full day though). However, if you have two days, you must not miss Teshima (actually I’d even advise Teshima over Naoshima, but that’s just me) and there, while a car is not indispensable (you can rent electric bike and there is a bus), it’d make your life easier.
Hi,
I’m going to visit Shodoshima at the end of the month, and I’d like to have a look the rice fields, going there using bikes.
Could you please tell me where I could find electric bike to rent on Shodoshima?
Hi Denys,
I do not know where you can rent electric bikes on Shodoshima (in the previous comment, I’m talking about Teshima), but if you can, I assume that it’d be in the port.
However, if you hope to see rice fields at the end of the month, you’re in it for a bad surprise. Rice fields don’t get filled with water and planted before the end of May on average. In April, they’re still dry and full of whatever weed grew there since the last harvest.
Looks very interesting and that shot of you climbing the spiral staircase reminds me of a lighthouse, which I thought it was at first 🙂
Yes, the staircase definitely has a lighthouse feel, and seeing its doors and its windows, I suspected it’s a “recycled” lighthouse staircase indeed.