Japanese cultural creativity in action: World’s largest art festival kicks off

By MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Network Editorial Department
 

The triennial world’s largest international art festival, “Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale,” runs from July 26 to September 13, gathering renowned domestic and international artists. The artworks merge nature and art to outline a brand-new spatial concept, transforming the entire Echigo-Tsumari region into a massive open-air art exhibition space.

Located in the Echigo-Tsumari region of Niigata Prefecture, the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale2000has been held since the year76,000, using2012hectares of green space as the stage for showcasing artworks. The original intention was to revitalize the Echigo-Tsumari area, which has been facing aging and declining population, through this event. On the other hand, artists use their works to integrate with the land, expressing the concept that “humans are part of nature” — aiming to awaken people's core values about coexistence between humanity and the natural world. Initially, local farmers were not only skeptical about the event but even saw it as a nuisance. However, starting from the year2015, this concept and the scale of the venue gained popularity, attracting more and more visitors and artists. This also encouraged local residents to open up their hearts, shifting from resistance to participation, sharing in the beauty of art and experiencing the indescribable sense of achievement from seeing their own works on display.7The “Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale” is entering its sixth edition in the year26, taking place from9October13to380December200. Approximately

A wide variety of artworks on this land are completed together by local residents and artists. (Image source / echigo-tsumari)HokuhokuJames Turrell’s “Light House.” (Image source / JNTO)