[Joseonggwan's Global Humanities Journey] The People Who Brought the Scent of Art to Naoshima

Claude Monet, James Turrell, Walter De Maria, Lee Ufan, Tadao Ando, Yayoi Kusama, Sou Fujimoto, Hiroshi Senju, Hiroshi Sugimoto. Painters, installation artists, designers, sculptors, photographers, architects... These are artists and architects who have been active or are currently active in various fields. Despite their different nationalities and periods of activity, they converge on one island.

'Pumpkin' by Yayoi Kusama installed at Naoshima Tsutsujiso Pier. Photo by Seonggwan Jo

It is Naoshima (直島). An island located in the Seto Inland Sea between Shikoku and Honshu. Geographically, it is close to Okayama Prefecture on Honshu, but administratively it belongs to Kagawa Prefecture on Shikoku. It has an area of 14 km² and a population of about 3,000. Anyone interested in art has likely visited Naoshima at least once or twice. Famous galleries in Seoul operate art tour programs, and the 'Naoshima Art Tour' is always included.

The most common way to get to Naoshima is via Takamatsu. Taking a passenger ferry costing 520 yen one way (990 yen round trip) takes about 50 minutes. The ferry sails at a moderate speed, neither too fast nor too slow, perfect for leisurely enjoying the islands of the Seto Inland Sea.

For first-time visitors, it is impossible to distinguish Naoshima by sight alone because the islands look very similar. However, if you see a red sculpture on the pier of any island, there is no need to think further. It is Yayoi Kusama’s (草間彌生 1929~) 'Red Pumpkin.' Its vivid primary color, unforgettable once seen, guides travelers like a lighthouse.

Yayoi Kusama is one of the most influential living artists. Recently, Kusama has frequently appeared in the media due to collaborations with the French luxury brand Louis Vuitton.

The Louis Vuitton flagship store on the Champs-?lys?es in Paris is decorated with red dots on its exterior walls. A short-haired female doll, representing Kusama, hangs from the corner of the building. In Seoul, the Louis Vuitton Maison’s entrance is covered entirely with 'black dots on a yellow background.' Louis Vuitton designs and sells clothing, bags, and shoes featuring Kusama’s 'painted dot' imagery.

In 2021, the 'Pumpkin' installed on Naoshima was swept away by waves caused by Typhoon Lupit, causing alarm among people. The device securing the concrete 'Pumpkin' at the pier was lost to the strong waves. Fortunately, the pumpkin floating in the Seto Inland Sea was retrieved and returned to its original place.

Excluding island residents, Naoshima visitors fall into three groups. One group takes the first ferry (8:12 AM) from Takamatsu Port and returns on the last ferry (5:00 PM) from Miyanoura Port. They spend the whole day on Naoshima, experiencing the rich expressions of an ordinary island transformed by art.

The Honmura area, where wooden houses from the Edo period are well preserved. Photo by Seonggwan Cho

Upon disembarking, they head straight to bus stop number 2. Here, an 18-seat village bus waits to match the ferry arrival time. The bus fare is 100 yen. Since there are no taxis, unless visitors bring a car, they must take this village bus to reach the Chichu Art Museum. When I rode it, there were 25 passengers including standing passengers, five of whom were Westerners. Passengers enjoy the unfamiliar and fascinating scenery of the island village from inside the bus. After about 10 minutes, the bus passes through a traditional house neighborhood. The narrow alleys, barely wide enough for one bus, delight visitors who find lost romance there. This is the Honmura (本村) area. In the compact alleys, travelers admire Edo-period traditional houses like solving a maze. The village bus then runs along the seaside again and finally drops passengers at Tsutsujiso (つつじ莊), the bus terminus. From here, passengers transfer to a free shuttle to the 'Benesse House area' and the Chichu Art Museum.

The second group consists of people who, at Miyanoura Port bus stop, do not take the village bus but instead board the Benesse House shuttle bus. They usually carry large travel suitcases. Benesse House is a hotel and museum that requires reservations at least six months in advance. These visitors stay at Benesse House for at least 3 to 4 days, immersing themselves in the art island blended with nature.

The last group rents bicycles at Miyanoura Port and explores every corner of the island. Naoshima has bicycle-only roads connected like a spider web besides car roads, making it a paradise for cyclists. Many ride bicycles up to the Chichu Art Museum. Cycling allows experiencing the island’s hidden scenic spots inaccessible by car.

Whether day-trippers or Benesse House guests, most visitors first go to the Chichu Art Museum upon arriving on Naoshima. It is located at the highest point on the island. Of course, a few start their tour at the Benesse House Museum and visit in chronological order.

A rectangular garden inside the Jichu Museum surrounded by exposed concrete. Photo by Seongkwan Cho

The Chichu Art Museum opened in 2004. It accepts visitors every 30 minutes and requires advance online reservations. Guided tours take about an hour. Visitors marvel at the art of painting and light unfolding in a forest of exposed concrete.

Exterior view of the Lee Ufan Museum. Photo by Seonggwan Cho

The next stop is the Lee Ufan Museum. A leisurely 10-minute walk down a cool forest path is enough. Opened in 2010, the Lee Ufan Museum is an outdoor installation. Stroking the exposed concrete wall with the left hand while descending stairs, a well-manicured lawn suddenly appears. A wide space embracing the sea unfolds. There are several round stones, steel rods leaning on the stones, and rusted red steel plates. First-time viewers of Lee Ufan’s work are puzzled by the solitary stones but soon find peace of mind. They realize that their artistic perception had been confined to brush strokes and sculptures. Here, art escapes the museum and perfectly unites with nature.

Lee Ufan held a retrospective at the Guggenheim in 2011, the second after Nam June Paik. Stones, forest, steel rods, lawn, exposed concrete, sky, and sea. Visitors contemplate while examining and touching Lee Ufan’s stones. Where did the stones come from? Who am I? Where does time flow? Some might recall Nietzsche encountering a huge rock on a lakeside path in the Alps, the origin of the eternal recurrence philosophy. Where do people come from and where do they go?

The Benesse House Museum, completed in 1995, was Tadao Ando’s first project. It is a fusion of hotel and museum. Benesse is a Japanese educational publishing company. The name is a coined term from Latin bene (good) and esse (being). The Benesse House Oval is one of Naoshima’s symbolic images. Starting with the Benesse House Museum, Tadao Ando’s Naoshima projects began: the Chichu Art Museum in 2004, the Lee Ufan Museum in 2010...

Naoshima Map. Photo by Seonggwan Cho

After visiting the Benesse House Museum and walking down slowly, you reach flat land. In the distance, the yellow pumpkin looks like a dot. Next to it is Tsutsujiso, the bus stop for Miyanoura Port. Walking toward the yellow pumpkin, you see two brightly colored sculptures on a wide lawn to the left. Behind them is a low building resembling a school. This is the Hiroshi Sugimoto Gallery, where the permanent exhibition 'Corridor of Time' is held. It showcases the work of Sugimoto, a leading Japanese photographer. However, I am more drawn to the sculptures scattered casually in front of the school building’s spacious yard. The colorful hues feel somehow familiar and hard to pass by. The works are titled 'Cat' and 'Camel.' A notice asks visitors not to climb or touch the sculptures. The artist is Niki de Saint Phalle.

These two works are new to me, yet their colors and designs feel familiar. Wait, where have I seen Niki de Saint Phalle’s works before? It wasn’t long ago. I first encountered Niki de Saint Phalle in 2015 in the Marais district of Paris. Next to the Pompidou Center is a rectangular plaza, the Igor Stravinsky Square. In the center is the Stravinsky Fountain. In spring, summer, and fall, this is a resting place for Parisians who sit on the fountain’s edge enjoying freedom. In the middle of the fountain, Niki de Saint Phalle’s work blooms like a lotus flower. Who would have thought to meet Niki de Saint Phalle again on Naoshima?

The highlight of Naoshima’s outdoor art is Kusama Yayoi’s 'Pumpkin.' Against the backdrop of blue sea, blue island, and blue sky stands the yellow pumpkin. Travelers all approach the yellow pumpkin on their way to the bus, savoring the solitude of the pumpkin boldly facing the sea. The climax of the Naoshima art tour is Tadao Ando’s Chichu Art Museum. The beginning and end of the Naoshima art tour is Kusama Yayoi.