Wildflower art from around the world decorates the streets of Yokohama! The 8th Yokohama Triennale "Wildflowers: Alive Here and Now"
The Yokohama Triennale, an international contemporary art exhibition held every three years in Yokohama, will begin on March 15, 2024. At an online press conference held on January 17, details about the features and program of the 8th Yokohama Triennale were announced.
Photo courtesy of Yokohama Triennale Organizing Committee
Yokohama Triennale, which began in 2001, is one of the longest-running art festivals in Japan. This year marks the eighth time that the festival has been held, and Beijing-based artists Liu Ding and Carol Yinghua Lu have been invited to serve as artistic directors. The festival will develop works and programs related to the main theme, "Wildflowers: Alive Here and Now," over a wide area from Yokohama Station to the Yamate district.
Mika Kuraya, director of the Yokohama Museum of Art and general director of the 8th Yokohama Triennale, spoke of her thoughts on the Triennale: "Our society is facing major problems such as war, climate change, economic disparity and intolerance. For the past 20 years, the Yokohama Triennale has used artworks created by people from all over the world to engage in dialogue with the different opinions of people from all regions, and to consider how individuals can join hands to survive in such a world."
This year's triennale has two pillars within the larger framework of "Wild Grass: Alive Here and Now." The first pillar is the international exhibition of the same name, "Wild Grass: Alive Here and Now," which is being organized by the artistic director. The theme of "Wild Grass" is inspired by the poem collection "Wild Grass" by Lu Xun, a Chinese novelist who lived in a turbulent era. The international exhibition will trace the historical events that occurred in the 100 years from the time of Lu Xun to the present day, and introduce the works of artists who confront modern society and are trying to bring about change. Artistic director Carol Yinghua Lu spoke about the theme of "Wild Grass" in a video message.
"This year's Yokohama Triennale focuses on the connections between art and the real world, between art and thought, and the stories that art leaves behind in history. The symphony, entitled 'Wildflowers: Alive Here and Now' is made up of such diverse layers. 'Wildflowers' are sand, storms, rivers, stones, the night sky, faraway places. They represent the world as we perceive it. Throughout history, from the past to the present, we see the darkness and thorns, and at the same time the petals and the light of the stars."
Photo by Ryusuke Ohno
Photo courtesy of Yokohama Triennale Organizing Committee
Carol's "symphony made up of many layers" is made up of seven chapters. From "Our Lives," which describes the current state of our lives, to "Symbol of Depression," which expresses criticism of modernity, curator Yuko Katada explained that "the lives and messages of each artist overlap in layers, encouraging and stimulating our thinking for the future."
At the time of the online press conference, 67 artists from around the world had confirmed their participation in the international exhibition. Thirty of them will be exhibiting in Japan for the first time. Yoar Nango, who is of descent from the nomadic reindeer herders, the Sámi people, confronts the problems of resource shortages and climate change in modern society through temporary structures made from local materials, demonstrating how humans and nature can coexist. In addition, the three-person collective "Open Group," formed in Lviv, Ukraine, will present "Repeat After Me," a work that captures the reality of the war in Ukraine, by interviewing citizens who visited a refugee camp in Lviv after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
《Repeat After Me》2022 (video still), Courtesy of the artists
The international exhibition will be held at five venues, including the Yokohama Museum of Art. Among these, the exhibition can be enjoyed in free spaces at Queens Square Yokohama and the passageway connecting Motomachi-Chukagai Station on the Minatomirai Line. The Yokohama Museum of Art, which will be reopening for this Triennale, has been designed to provide a friendly viewing environment for visitors, so that even those with small children or those with health concerns can enjoy art at their own pace. Unlike many art festivals that are intended for people with good physical fitness, the Triennale cites the fact that it is a "triennale held at a museum venue, where visitors can view many works in a safe environment in one venue without having to walk long distances."
Photo by: Takehide Shintsubo
While touting the merits of a "triennale using an art museum venue," one of the features of this triennale is that it also realizes a "large-scale Yokohama Triennale that spreads throughout the city." This is the second pillar of the triennale, "Art Mori Mori!" by the city's cultural and artistic activity centers. Under the unified theme of "wildflowers," local cultural and artistic centers will develop a wide range of exhibitions and programs. Including free programs, it is an event that can be enjoyed by everyone from children to adults, and from art novices to those who enjoy serious performances. Set tickets for "BankART Life 7" and "Koganecho Bazaar 2024" and the international exhibition "Wildflowers" are also on sale.
Not only are the international exhibitions "Wildflowers: Alive Here and Now" and "Art Mori Mori!" linked by a common theme, but they also return to the Yokohama Triennale's original goal of being "a quality introduction to contemporary art." In the international exhibition, almost all of the works are accompanied by compact, jargon-free, easy-to-understand explanations, while "Art Mori Mori!" does not limit works to contemporary art, but instead features a wide range of genres and formats.
At the end of the press conference, General Director Kuraya summed up the characteristics of this triennale as follows: "It is a base where art has been considered from an international perspective while keeping one's feet on the ground in daily life. With these two things, we hope that many people will enjoy art from both an international and local perspective." The 8th triennale will be held from March 15 to June 9, 2024. Please take advantage of this rare opportunity to see the world and local "wild plant" art decorating the streets of Yokohama.
[Ticket Information] Advance tickets will go on sale from 10:00 on Thursday, January 18, 2024.
・If you live in Yokohama, you can purchase tickets at a discounted price.
Proof of residency will be required upon ticket purchase.
・Student tickets holders must present proof of student enrollment (such as a student ID) at each venue.
・Those who have already purchased a viewing ticket or set ticket can upgrade to a free pass. The difference in price can be paid at the ticket window at the Yokohama Museum of Art venue.
Please pay. (The difference in price is [Admission Ticket] 3,000 yen for adults/1,800 yen for students, [Combined Ticket] 2,000 yen for adults/1,000 yen for students.)
・Free admission for those with a disability certificate and one caregiver.
Event Overview | 8th Yokohama Triennale "Wildflowers: Living Here and Now"
Artistic Director: Liu Ding, Carol Yinghua Lu
Period: Friday, March 15, 2024 - Sunday, June 9, 2024 Number of days open: 78 days
Closed: Every Thursday (except 4/4, 5/2, 6/6)
Opening hours: 10:00-18:00 (entry until 30 minutes before closing) | Open until 20:00 on June 6th (Thurs) - 9th (Sun)
Venue: Yokohama Museum of Art, Former Daiichi Bank Yokohama Branch, BankART KAIKO, Queens Square Yokohama, Motomachi-Chinatown Station Passageway
Organized by: City of Yokohama, Yokohama Arts Foundation, NHK, The Asahi Shimbun, Yokohama Triennale Organizing Committee
Collaborating locations: BankART1929, Koganecho Area Management Center, Zo-no-hana Terrace, Steep Slope Studio
Official website: here
[How to purchase]
Advance sale period [From 10:00 on Thursday, January 18th]
Online: Visit the official website .
Venue window: Set ticket program Venue
・BankART Station (B1F, Shin-Takashima Station, Minatomirai Line)
・Koganecho Bazaar Information "Overpass Studio Site-A Gallery" (1-6 Koganecho, Naka-ku, Yokohama)
Please note: Advance tickets cannot be purchased at the Yokohama Museum of Art.
・Free passes cannot be sold in advance. Tickets will be on sale at the Yokohama Museum of Art from Friday, March 15th.
-This is not a date and time specification (advance reservation).
During the event [Friday, March 15th - Sunday, June 9th]
Online: Visit the official website .
Venue window: "Wildflowers: Living Here and Now" Exhibition venue Yokohama Museum of Art
Set Ticket Program Venue (as above for advance ticket venue)
please note
・Tickets cannot be purchased at the venues for "Wild Flowers: Alive Here and Now," the Former Dai-Ichi Bank Yokohama Branch and BankART KAIKO.
・Free passes can only be purchased at the Yokohama Museum of Art venue. They are not available online.
