Echigo-Tsumari Triennial

Yesterday we had a guest presentation by Mr Atsushi Ogata, an artist/filmmaker who has worked and lived in Holland for many years. He showed us some footage of the art exhibition in Niigata prefecture that takes place every three years. Many of the artists from all over the world incorporated the space and the environment in their art work.

I was really amazed to see the variety of art works that were shown at the Triennial, and especially the enthusiasm and support from the local people. I especially liked the exhibitions that took place inside the old buildings of the area. Mr Ogata used an abandoned house for his "Step in Step out" work that filled the house with many different images of the locals walking and going about their normal daily routine. It also incorporated sounds, sculptures of shoes, feet and special lighting for each area of the house. The house was filled with art work with the concept of "walking" which was again integrated with the sound and movement of the visitors' walking. This art work required the viewer to participate in it, to actually walk through the house and to discover their own meaning.

The whole Triennial was spread out in a vast agricultural area, and it was interesting to hear that there were bus tours so people could move from one art work to another. This is a completely different way of appreciating art from just standing infront of a painting in a gallery or spending a day at the art museum. Art works shown in Mr Ogata's footage were works that required involvement by the viewer, and I thought that was a very interesting concept.