Artwork Highlights (original) (raw)

Over 100 permanent artworks by artists from Japan and across the world are exhibited around the rural Echigo Tsumari region, producing an intriguing combination of contemporary art with a traditional countryside backdrop. During the art triennale, dozens of new artworks are added, some of which join the collection of permanent works after the end of the festival.

The art is related to the region's people, landscapes and social issues, and a lot of pieces incorporate vacant houses or abandoned schools, which are numerous due to the depopulation trend. The buildings are used as exhibition spaces or are transformed into artworks themselves.

Rather than concentrated in a single location, the art exhibits are scattered around the entire Echigo-Tsumari area. Many of them are in the open air, in rice fields, beside rivers or in the villages. While some of the exhibits are near the town centers and relatively easily accessible from train stations, others stand in remote places that are quite difficult to access.

The following is an incomplete list of some of the outstanding art exhibits which are on permanent display. Note that outside of the festivals, some of them are only open over the weekends and public holidays, and many are closed or inaccessible during the winter season. It is recommended to check the official website before visiting.

Tokamachi Area

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  Satoyama Museum of Contemporary Art, Kinare
  Reached in a 10-15 minute walk from Tokamachi Station, the Satoyama Museum of Contemporary Art Kinare is an art museum that also serves as the main stage and information center of the festival during the art triennale. The museum displays artwork from over a dozen artists, and also houses a cafe and a public hot spring bath.
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  Hachi & Seizo Tashima Museum of Picture Book Art
  An abandoned elementary school building full of artwork that is meant to represent a picture book story of the last three students to attend the school.

Kawanishi Area

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  House of Light
  This house combines traditional Japanese interior design with the artistic use of light. It is possible to stay overnight in the House of Light.
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  Exhibit number: K002-005, 007-014, 022-023
  Nakago Green Park
  Almost 20 artworks are stationed around this city park and golf course, including the House of Light. The nearby campgrounds are home to another half dozen artworks.

Matsudai Area

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  Noh Butai Snow-Land Agrarian Culture Center
  Five minutes from Matsudai Station on foot, the Noh Butai is another of the festival's stages and information centers. The Noh Butai houses a small museum, observatory, restaurant, and shop. Several dozen artworks are located around the base of the center and along the nearby hillside.
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  The Rice Field
  Sculptures in terraced rice fields combined with poems, when viewed from the Noh Butai.
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  Scarecrow Project
  Red figures, depicting a farmer's family, working in a terraced rice field.
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  Portrait of the Village
  A metal sculpture, also known as Mountain, which lies along a remote mountain road with views of the mountains in the distance.
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  Shedding House
  Carvings cover the walls, pillars and floors of this abandoned house, which also doubles as an accommodation.

Matsunoyama Area

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  The Last Class
  An abandoned school turned into a haunted house like art object.
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  Dream House
  Another of the art exhibits that double functions as an accommodation. Guests are asked to record their dreams into a book in the following morning.
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  Australia House
  Built to replace the former Australia House, which was destroyed in an aftershock of the March 2011 earthquake, the new Australia House was constructed as a symbol of Japanese-Australian cultural exchange. The sharp angled, triangular building was the result of a design competition and includes traditional elements of both Japanese and Australian architecture.
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  Echigo-Matsunoyama Museum of Natural Science
  The museum was built as a natural science education center, and its shape and materials were chosen to withstand the substantial snow cover each year. Attached to the museum is an observation tower, and there are also many walking trails in the surrounding area.

Nakasato Area

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  For Lots of Lost Windows
  A window to rediscover the ordinary view of the landscape.
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  POTEMKIN
  Former illegal dumping ground turned into a riverside park.
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  JR Iiyama Line Art Project
  Various artworks have been built next to train stations along the JR Iiyama Line.
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  Tunnel of Light
  Located in the Kiyotsukyo Gorge, the Tunnel of Light is a pedestrian tunnel that was redesigned to resemble a submarine and features a dramatic view of the gorge and reflective pool at the end of the tunnel. Near the entrance to the tunnel is also a building designed as a periscope with a footbath and cafe.

Tsunan Area

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  0121-1110=109071
  Three artistically shaped wooden globes, blending in perfectly with the forested backdrop.
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  DMOCA (Dragon Museum of Contemporary Art)
  A dragon-shaped furnace built with earth, stones and bricks. The whiskers are made of tubes with special openings which, when blown through, make sounds with various pitches.

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