Advancing the “frontline” of art at Echigo-Tsumari

If you look back over history, art was originally created for the walls and altars of religious facilities such as temples and shrines, which gradually reduced in size as they transformed into artworks. Another stream of its history are tableaux (1), which are ornamental scenes from buildings owned by royalty and aristocrats, such as the Palace of Versailles.

As many societies transformed into democracies through people’s revolutions, artworks were presented in galleries and art museums, accessible for many people to visit and enjoy. Now, we can experience diverse art forms from paintings and sculptures to photos, movies, installations and performances in all different kinds of facilities.

The history of art criticism, in principle, has evolved as critics were exposed to artworks in those places. Moreover, in the globalised economy, art critics have strengthened their influence in art auctions and art fairs. The media sometimes report that “a famous collector made a successful bid for the most-talked about artwork at a record price.” This, in a sense, the easy-to-understand “peak” of art which would draw attention again if such artworks are presented at an art museum.

Seeing art in a space like a white cube could provide experiencing highly abstracted or purified artwork or help elaborate criticism. However, is that everything? Artists who sought to bring art out of the museum and connect it closer to daily life made movements in the 1950s and 60s.

Andy Warhol, known for pop art, also worked on producing a rock band and film productions and said that art was not that important in a contemporary society filled with images. This could be regarded as represent the thinking above.

Joseph Beuys said that the conventional art is meaningless for politics but he left the famous slogan “everyone is an artist”. He was an artist who considered the prospect of human beings “engraving the society” for their future.

There have been many other movements (4) but my challenge for the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale from the perspective of attitudes towards the art began with these issues in mind. Bringing artworks to art museums in large cities as they were then was not an option to consider. Rather I wanted to explore spaces other than Universal Space through artworks which eventually lead to opening up the future of the Echigo-Tsumari region.

I was so pleased that artists from around the world responded positively to such an attempt. The reason why extremely prominent artists such as Christian Boltanski, Antony Gormley, and the late Vito Acconci decided to participate in Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale must have been largely because they were keen to see how this place would transform. The rumour spread that “Echigo-Tsumari is trying something interesting” which resulted in welcoming a more diverse range of artists.

Artists attracted to Echigo-Tsumari are also those who try to seek an alternative definition of the richness of space other than Universal Space. Christian Boltanski (5), who has been participating in ETAT since the first iteration, was revolutionary as he injected multi-layered “time” into an abstract exhibition space by bringing in old biscuit tins and taken off clothes. Having a Jewish father, his creation is largely influenced by his conscious attention to the Holocaust issue of the World War II whereas he has created artworks making the best use of the field and closed schools in Echigo-Tsumari that are unique to this place and yet entails the universality.

Leandro Erlich (6), another artist who has deeply engaged with Echigo-Tsumari, takes a similar position.（*6）While his artworks using mirrors and other tricks are often described as illusionistic, I do believe he poses questions on Universal Space. Although he didn’t study architecture himself, he was naturally interested in architecture and grasped there is not such thing as universal space, having architects around such as his father, brothers and aunt. As he attempts to embrace space as something ambiguous rather than homogenizing it, he chose to “reproduce, transfer, and reflect the world”. This is how I interpret his works and it helps us unveil his critical perspective on society.

For this issue I presented my view by drawing a broad sketch of art and related movements. For me, Echigo-Tsumari stands at the frontline of art. We all live in a reality that is filled with contradictions and conflicts – for instance, disparities widen in the shadow of the advance of globalisation of economy. I wouldn’t say that art has the solution to such problems. However, it may have the possibility to offer clues to resolve things. ETAT exists for exploring such possibilities.

By inviting artists from various regions both within and outside of Japan and embracing ikebana and ceramics in addition to contemporary art was because I have hope for diverse perspectives to contribute to the festival. Echigo-Tsumari is a place where people have lived for 1500 years. The depth of matière (the effect of materials and their quality of works) that are distinctive to this place is abundant and has no comparison to others. At the end of history, when the place for art changes, I would like to be standing at the very frontline of art, on and beside Echigo-Tsumari