Japan’s best art triennials are both held this year
Held only every three years, Japan's two best contemporary art festivals, the Setouchi Triennale and the Echigo Tsumari Art Triennale, usually take place in separate years; however, in 2022 both of them are held concurrently because the latter was postponed from last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Both festivals fascinate by immersing intriguing contemporary art installations into the Japanese countryside. At the Setouchi Triennale, the art is set across twelve small, slow-paced islands in the Seto Inland Sea, while at the Echigo Tsumari Art Festival, the art is found across the rice fields and rolling hills of rural Niigata. Both festivals have been successful at revitalizing rural areas faced with shrinking and aging populations.
The Setouchi Triennale runs during three sessions (spring, summer and autumn) from April 14 to November 6 while the Echigo Tsumari Art Triennale is on continuously from April 29 to November 13. Please visit the respective pages for more details.