Once a fishing town in decline, Naoshima island is now a thriving Contemporary Art Hub where architecture, nature and art come together to create a surreal landscape.
The majority of Naoshima's art was installed and curated by the Benesse Corporation, which oversees art museums, installations and sculptures both on Naoshima and on neighbouring islands. Benesse's museums were designed by the well known Japanese minimal architect Ando Tadao that with his essential shapes created the perfect environment to house the artworks.
The island also serves as the main venue of the Setouchi Triennale Art Festival, where about 100 new artworks by artists from Japan and overseas are exhibited on the twelve islands and around the ports of Takamatsu and Uno.
The island inhabitants placed contemporary art at the core of their deepening interest in history, culture, as well as the very communities that they lived in. Over the years, Art becomes ingrained with Naoshima and its natural landscapes.
The surface is covered with large-scale public sculptures from Japanese artists, including Yayoi Kusama and Shinro Ohtake, as well as international talents like George Rickey, James Turrel, Karel Appel and Niki de Saint Phalle.
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