Bengal Island Takamatsu
2013年07月27日
At last the long awaited Setouchi Triennale Art Festival is underway, the summer part anyway and it’s certainly summer here in Kagawa right now. http://setouchi-artfest.jp/en/
This session kicked off in the Sunport’s Art Plaza near the central station with ‘The Bangladesh Project’ with themes of boat building, the sea, and its transporting power, which can carry flotsam & jetsam that drift all around the world sometimes with messages and clues as to other worlds & cultures. I’ve have firsthand experience of this as a young student on a wild and remote Tasmanian area named Ocean Beach, over 60 miles long. Finding a plastic detergent bottle that fascinated me as I didn’t know it was from a place called Japan, and couldn’t read the katakana and realize it had made its way all the way down to 40 degrees south. It might have been thrown from a Japanese trawler fishing in the southern hemisphere? I don’t know.
The themes are ethnic-centered and interesting. Many Bangladeshi artisans are here working with their traditional crafts and this is a long event in the Sunport area of Takamatsu right near the central JR station. From July 20th~September 1st
There were symposiums and performances and ‘The Quintessence of Bangladesh paintings’ show at the Takamatsu Museum. Entrance JPY 300. Entrance free with a triennale passport.
A great many dignitaries were in attendance including ambassadors and diplomats and the music was great.
This is a worthwhile event but there’s a part of me that is uneasy about it simply because if the prefecture wishes to be taken seriously as a contender in the international arts arena, something it is well capable of doing, then perhaps there should be a separation of ‘cultural events’ like this one and more visceral - intellectual art performances/exhibits. With this exhibition the separation has disappeared and both are blurred. That’s not snobbishness; just my ten-cent’s worth after many years involvement with the visual arts.
In Sunport Takamatsu the wonderful facilities for international shipping are all but unused for over ten years now, and there’s really no more excuse for this being the case. If cobwebs could grow on port facilities and water they would here. Offering incentives & the attraction of reduced berthing fees international passenger carrying lines can be lured from the Yokohama/Kobe/Hiroshima run to visit. No doubt about that at all.
When you’re visiting there are guides and locations everywhere in the city particularly the station area and port areas to help you get around. Brochures for this event are available at all the same Takamatsu information centers and at the stations. I’ll be back soon with more about this and hopefully be able to give you the help you need to visit us. See you soon and stay cool.
http://wikitravel.org/en/Takamatsu
http://www.city.takamatsu.kagawa.jp/english/
http://www.my-kagawa.jp/special/visitor/kanko/index.htm
http://www.i-pal.or.jp/profile/topics/kagawas-welcome-card.html
"Pat has lived in Takamatsu continuously since arriving here on a one year study and leave 1981. Originally from Tasmania, Australia, he was involved in education at a variety of levels including as a specialist teacher for children with learning difficulties, and at senior high schools throughout the state. Pat is employed full-time by the i-pal Kagawa International Exchange as a co-oridintaor for international relations amongst other duties including traveling to schools and giving talks in Japanese to kids about Australia. He has been involved with youth education exchanges between Japan and Australia for many years.
Pat has been many things in his colorful life including a seaman, helmsman, welder, carpenter, traffic warden, scholarship/studentship winner at the university of Tasmania, staff at the Australian Embassy in London to name but a few. Pat has far too many hobbies which include tennis, playing jazz flutes and saxes, riding bicycles with the Takamatsu Cycling Club all of which his long-suffering family tolerate. Recently he's become interested in painting again. His wife wishes he would put more time in to helping around the house and the garden which he artfully avoids ..."
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Posted by pat at 22:07
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I see your point Pat, but I disagree.
The point of the Triennale is to revive the islands, and mixing those "cultural events" with "intellectual art" makes the Triennale more accessible to everyone, that makes people interesting in the islands (and not just the art on the islands).
When I compare Naoshima to the other islands for example, this is exactly what I see. Honestly, I've been to Naoshima a couple of times, as a tourist and I don't care much for it. I saw the art, took my pictures, and I don't really have any reason to return except to show it to visiting friends and family. During my few trips there, I haven't met a single local, and why would I? For them we're just tourists.
On the other hand, during the same time, I've been more than a dozen times to some other islands (namely Teshima and Ogijima) and if I went for the art first, I returned many times for the place itself, for its people. I've made connection there despite my almost non-existent Japanese.
What I mean is that reviving the islands doesn't mean turning them into little Naoshimas (although I'm afraid that Teshima is taking that route) and that's not what the population wants in most case. It's about making them attractive again so that people move back there, live there and find ways to be able to do it. Tourism can be one way, but it must not be the only one. On the other hand, crafts could be an option for places like Ogijima, a place where craftsmen live, work, sell their products and so on (Onba Factory and Maison de Urushi are kinda paving the way).
As far as having international cruise boats coming to Takamatsu... Really? You'd like that? Having these environmental aberrations trashing our area and pouring thousands of decerebrated tourists into our streets on a regular basis?
The point of the Triennale is to revive the islands, and mixing those "cultural events" with "intellectual art" makes the Triennale more accessible to everyone, that makes people interesting in the islands (and not just the art on the islands).
When I compare Naoshima to the other islands for example, this is exactly what I see. Honestly, I've been to Naoshima a couple of times, as a tourist and I don't care much for it. I saw the art, took my pictures, and I don't really have any reason to return except to show it to visiting friends and family. During my few trips there, I haven't met a single local, and why would I? For them we're just tourists.
On the other hand, during the same time, I've been more than a dozen times to some other islands (namely Teshima and Ogijima) and if I went for the art first, I returned many times for the place itself, for its people. I've made connection there despite my almost non-existent Japanese.
What I mean is that reviving the islands doesn't mean turning them into little Naoshimas (although I'm afraid that Teshima is taking that route) and that's not what the population wants in most case. It's about making them attractive again so that people move back there, live there and find ways to be able to do it. Tourism can be one way, but it must not be the only one. On the other hand, crafts could be an option for places like Ogijima, a place where craftsmen live, work, sell their products and so on (Onba Factory and Maison de Urushi are kinda paving the way).
As far as having international cruise boats coming to Takamatsu... Really? You'd like that? Having these environmental aberrations trashing our area and pouring thousands of decerebrated tourists into our streets on a regular basis?
Posted by David at 2013年07月28日 09:24
Good points David, all. I'm not sure I'd like to see Takamatsu flooded with tourists either but the city is by it's own admission cash-strapped. Art tourists represent a better class if you'll excuse the snobbishness, than many other groups perhaps and we can't have it both ways. Frankly it's a tough call and one I'd not like to make ..
Posted by Pat at 2013年07月28日 18:33
Please read; "by its own admission.' Sorry .. I'd like to know what other also think about this as David has very pertinent points. Any comments are welcome at all?
Posted by Pat at 2013年07月28日 19:09
You're right for the "art tourists" thing, if we're to have tourists, at least let's have the "good" kind.
The issue is definitely not black and white. Tourism is always an excellent way for a city to make money, but I'm not sure this is what some of the islands need.
Actually, this may be the most difficult challenge for the Triennale to be a long term success (and not just in terms of visitors but in terms of reaching its goals), every island (and Takamatsu itself) seems to have different needs and every issue needs to be solved in a different way.
Now, concerning Bengal Island, I wonder how much it's aimed at the usual Triennale visitor. Probably not so much.
I'm not too sure but I assume that most visitors are Takamatsu residents (who on the other hand also don't seem to care that much for the Triennale).
I don't know. But if you have more info about all that, I'm very interested.
On a side note, I saw you in Marugamemachi about two hours ago, but you were flying on that bike, you didn't even see me nor hear me when I said hi. ;-)
On another side note: I actually don't have your e-mail, but I sent you a message from here after we ran into each other the other day. Did you get it?
The issue is definitely not black and white. Tourism is always an excellent way for a city to make money, but I'm not sure this is what some of the islands need.
Actually, this may be the most difficult challenge for the Triennale to be a long term success (and not just in terms of visitors but in terms of reaching its goals), every island (and Takamatsu itself) seems to have different needs and every issue needs to be solved in a different way.
Now, concerning Bengal Island, I wonder how much it's aimed at the usual Triennale visitor. Probably not so much.
I'm not too sure but I assume that most visitors are Takamatsu residents (who on the other hand also don't seem to care that much for the Triennale).
I don't know. But if you have more info about all that, I'm very interested.
On a side note, I saw you in Marugamemachi about two hours ago, but you were flying on that bike, you didn't even see me nor hear me when I said hi. ;-)
On another side note: I actually don't have your e-mail, but I sent you a message from here after we ran into each other the other day. Did you get it?
Posted by David at 2013年07月29日 00:14
Thanks David. The comments are appreciated and well thought out. Takamatsu is a fabulous place, we both agree, but that's not enough to remain financially healthy. Not that we're broke of course but infusions of cash are needed and 'art tourism' is a pretty good way I think.
No, I certainly didn't see you? Then again I was also without eyeglasses having lost them 2 days ago so if that happened I apologise. I was looking for my family last evening as we'd, or I'd bungled the rendezvous. I didn't see them either ..
Also I didn't get any mail from you either? As I think I'd mentioned, I had a major computer breakdown a while back and both lost and need your blog information. Would you be kind enough to resend it please?
No, I certainly didn't see you? Then again I was also without eyeglasses having lost them 2 days ago so if that happened I apologise. I was looking for my family last evening as we'd, or I'd bungled the rendezvous. I didn't see them either ..
Also I didn't get any mail from you either? As I think I'd mentioned, I had a major computer breakdown a while back and both lost and need your blog information. Would you be kind enough to resend it please?
Posted by Pat at 2013年07月29日 03:45
In fact I'd like to use your blog link each month as it really is an excellent one, so perhaps you'll leave the link in the comments box, then I can cut and paste it. There'a a man named Tim (?) who also writes about Takamatsu, so I'll try to find his link as well. I'm concerned about the email not arriving ..
Posted by Pat at 2013年07月29日 04:31
Pat,
My blog is http://ogijima.com
You can e-mail me at ogijima @ gmail.com (without spaces of course) this way I'll have your current e-mail address.
No need to apologize for not seeing me yesterday, when I ride my bike in Shotengai, I don't really look at people's faces either, rather their whole body and especially their legs to not hit them.
Have a great day. :-)
My blog is http://ogijima.com
You can e-mail me at ogijima @ gmail.com (without spaces of course) this way I'll have your current e-mail address.
No need to apologize for not seeing me yesterday, when I ride my bike in Shotengai, I don't really look at people's faces either, rather their whole body and especially their legs to not hit them.
Have a great day. :-)
Posted by David at 2013年07月29日 09:09
