"It's not a view, it's an experience. One is meant to wander…" In his 1971 travel memoir The Inland Sea, Donald Richie described Itsukushima Shrine in Hiroshima this way, comparing it to Venice for its labyrinthine, aquatic quality. These words could also describe a group of islands in that same sea, where the fourth edition of the Setouchi Triennale is happening this year. Several are home year-round to a wealth of contemporary art and architecture, much of it experiential and ideal for wandering. more...
Understanding the Design of Architect Tadao Ando: A Reading of his Early Drawings
James Lambiasi
Tadao Ando is not only one of the most accomplished architects in Japan, but has evolved into such an icon of global stardom that one tends to forget his humble and unconventional beginnings. Born in Osaka and originally a professional boxer, he trained himself as an architect and established Tadao Ando Architect & Associates in 1969. His first projects were small residences that challenged the concept of dwelling, and also highlighted how the flexibility of traditional Japanese lifestyles could adapt to such shockingly new spaces. more...
A Little Light on the Subject: Oscar Oiwa in Kanazawa
Alan Gleason
Journey to the Light, the Oscar Oiwa retrospective currently at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, presents a body of work that manages to be both thought-provoking and visually appealing. His oil paintings are big, bright, and full of figurative and abstract elements in just the right proportion to catch the eye while not perplexing it. Oiwa is above all a symbolist who paints allegorical commentaries on the state of the world as he sees it. Scrutinizing contemporary society in all its contradictions, he sometimes finds it appalling, sometimes delightful, sometimes simply bemusing. more...
