A new exhibition at the Japan House in London explores the large-scale art and architecture project driving the transformation of the Japanese island of Inujima for the past 13 years. Titled Symbiosis: Living Island, the show co-curated by the project's artistic director Yūko Hasegawa and architect Kazuyo Sejima showcases how the innovative scheme of accessible art, pavilions and creative projects brought together artists and locals in the effort to revitalize and secure a future for this island in the Seto Inland Sea confronted with diminishing population. Running from 21 May to 4 September 2022, the exhibition takes visitors on a journey around the island that illustrates the transformative impact of the Inujima' Art House Project' through architectural models, photography, videos and testimonies of the residents.
Inujima' Art House Project' was launched in 2010 with the objective of inspiring the local community to experience the landscape differently while transforming the island inhabited by a small, ageing population into a platform for art and culture and securing its future. Operated by the Fukutake Foundation, the project is part of the Benesse Art Site Naoshima, a collection of islands in the Seto Inland Sea which are being transformed through art and cultural activities.
The Inujima island is home to a series of galleries constructed from recycled materials and outdoor exhibits which evolve with the landscape over time, as well as a botanical garden in a greenhouse and various amenities for visitors. With the participation of artists such as Nawa Kōhei, Kojin Haruka, Asai Yūsuke and Olafur Eliasson, the project's central theme is symbiosis, with all installations, buildings and works showcasing an inextricable link to their surroundings.
The island of Inujima is a place that embodies a harmonious ecosystem. Through our work, we wanted to create an example of how an island and its community can be revitalized and enriched by living together with art. I hope that visitors to the Symbiosis exhibition will experience the same enrichment from their interaction with the Inujima' Art House Project', not only exploring the concept of symbiosis in their own lives but maybe even visiting the island one day. - Yūko Hasegawa, curator of the Symbiosis: Living Island exhibition
The exhibition explores the interaction between art, architecture and landscape, highlighting the transformative role of the constantly evolving cultural environment on the community. The vision is conveyed as a potential blueprint for culture as a revitalization tool, as well as an example of co-existence with nature.
