Setouchi News: Setouchi Triennale 2025 first pieces of information, a new museum on Naoshima and more

Hello there,

Today, I have quite a few pieces of news for you, so let’s get started, shall we?

The most urgent one first:

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Setouchi Triennale 2025 On-site tours

The Setouchi Triennale‘s Executive Committee sometimes organizes on-site tours. They’re not exactly for tourists, but rather for artists interested in applying to the text Triennale.

A few tours will be organized on October 12th, 13th and 14th.

The application period has already started and ends on October 3rd.

If you’re interested, all relevant information about the tours and how to apply for them are on the official website.

 

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Setouchi Triennale 2025 Call for Art Proposals

I know a few artists read this blog (first of all, thank you). If you’re one of them and would like to be part of the Setouchi Triennale 2025, applications are already open!

This is very early this time around, and I see this as a very good thing. I guess that, because of the Covid-19 pandemic, things got a bit chaotic in 2022. Many things could only be decided, organized, or canceled at the last minute. So, this year, they probably want to have everything planned as early as possible and give the artists as much time as possible to get ready too, with available plans B if necessary.

In any case, if you haven’t been invited to take part in the Triennale and would like to be a part of it nonetheless, now is your chance.

Once again, all the details, important dates, and more are on the official website.

 

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A new Museum designed by Tadao Ando will open on Naoshima in 2025!

If you’ve been to Naoshima recently, you may have noticed some huge cranes in the southern part of Honmura.

If you guessed that a new art site is being built, you guessed right!

This building, located on top of a small hill, will be Naoshima’s latest museum when it opens in 2025.

It was designed by Tadao Ando,  and it is rumored to be the last museum on Naoshima as they’re running out of space. Hmm… I don’t know if we should believe this rumor. I’ve also heard conflicting pieces of information about what it’s going to be about. I’m not going to mention them here, as they’re “secret.” Benesse likes to be secretive about such things. First, because it’s part of their “culture” (See the return of the Yellow Pumpkin. It was kept under wrap for the longest time, only to be hinted at just a few days before, and only announced on the same day, but… I had known about it for quite a while and so did most islanders – a few of them being my sources). But they’re also secretive because sometimes plans do change, and it’s understandable that they don’t want information that later turns out to be wrong to be circulating all over the web.

So all I can tell you is on this press release:

• The name of the museum is not completely decided yet. The current name (that I suspect will change) is “Naoshima New Art Museum.”
• It should have three floors, two of them being underground.
• It should house art from various Japanese and Asian artists.
• Some art may be created especially for this museum.
• The museum will not be a place with exhibits only. Various events, workshops, talks, and more will be organized there in order to make it a lively place where visitors take an active role. The goal is to make it a site where visitors – tourists and locals alike – connect with each other and with art. I guess we’ll see in 2025 what it exactly entails, but if it turns out the way they describe it, I like the idea. Naoshima needs such a place. I rarely see tourists connect with locals there, a more common occurrence on the other islands.

Stay tuned for more. Maybe I’ll try to go near the construction site and try to bring pictures back (of what will look like a construction site) the next time I go to Naoshima.

 

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There is another big building that is being built and that I’m sure will be included in the Setouchi Triennale 2025. It’s in Takamatsu Port, and you won’t be able to miss it when you get there. I’ve been meaning to show you the construction for quite a while, but it’s been so constantly hot this summer that I haven’t taken pictures yet. I’ll try as soon as possible, and it’ll get its own post. It’s the new basketball stadium/concert venue/conference hall/many more things, and it’s designed by SANAA.

 

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And last but not least:

The First Pieces of Information about the Setouchi Triennale 2025!

Not much yet, of course, it’s still one and a half years away, but I got this for you.

Official dates (so you can plan your trip ahead of time if you come from far away).

• Spring session: April 18 – May 25
• Summer session: August 1 – August 31
• Autumn session: October 3 – November 9

Locations.

The Setouchi Triennale 2025 will take place on the same islands and ports as the previous editions, but three coastal towns from Kagawa prefecture will also be included. Don’t tell anyone, but as the Prefectural government is a big part of the festival’s organization (and a certain amount of public money is used for it), I suspect that some municipalities were feeling left out, and wanted a piece of the cake too. I guess it’s understandable.

So here is the list of all locations for the Setouchi Triennale 2025:

All three seasons:

• Naoshima
• Teshima
• Shodoshima
• Ogijima
• Megijima
• Inujima
• Oshima
• Takamatsu Port
• Uno Port

Spring session only:

• Shamijima

Summer session only:

• Sanuki City (new location)
• Higashikagawa City (new location)

Autumn session only:

• Honjima
• Utazu Town (new location)
• Takamijima
• Awashima
• Ibukijima

 

Well, I guess that is all for today (that’s already quite a bit).

I’ll leave you now with the Yellow Pumpkin because I know you haven’t seen it in a while here.

 

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