Japan’s Largest International Art Exhibition of the Year Debuts in Ibaraki – The North Ibaraki Art Festival Kicks Off on Sept. 17, Featuring Works by Taiwanese Artists

Reported by Reporter Yu t-Ru / Compiled Report

The northern region of Ibaraki Prefecture in Japan boasts unique climate, landscapes, history, culture, cuisine, and local industries—rich and creative regional resources that have become a stage for many artists. From September 17 to November 20, Ibaraki will host the 65-day North Ibaraki Art Festival, which interested travelers can check out.


▲ Key visual image of the North Ibaraki Art Festival. (Photo / Screenshot fromofficial website)

To uncover new value and revitalize areas with such resources and latent artistic potential, the festival takes place across the vast “northern Ibaraki” region, featuring participation from 100 artists from 20 countries. This is Japan’s largest international art festival. Numerous renowned artists from various countries, as well as artists from Taiwan, are taking part. Countless works are inspired by the area’s natural resources, presented in diverse forms.

Among them, Taiwanese artist Wang Te-Yu stands out. Since 1990, he has experimented with soft fabrics as his primary medium, exploring “the sense of presence in space.” His work at the North Ibaraki Art Festival allows visitors to roll around on soft sculptures and interact with installation artworks involving touch and balloon-like structures. The main concept behind the artworks is to create site-specific pieces that shift the relationship between space and visitor, transforming their roles.

KENPOKU ART 2016 North Ibaraki Art Festival
Exhibition Period: Saturday, September 17, 2016 – Sunday, November 20, 2016 [65 days]