Report REPORT About Yokohama Triennale Foreword
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T OR P RE Yokohama Triennale 2020 “AFTERGLOW” Report REPORT About Yokohama Triennale Foreword Summary The Yokohama Triennale, which started in 2001, has reached its 20th anniversary with the completon of its 7th editon, Yokohama Triennale 2020 “Afterglow.” The Yokohama Triennale is an internatonal exhibiton of contemporary art held in Yokohama once every three years. The exhibiton features both internatonally renowned and up-and-coming artsts, and presents Over these twenty years, the Triennale has been held under difcult circumstances on several occasions. the latest trends and expressions in contemporary art. The inaugural editon in 2001 endured even as it witnessed the atack on American soil on September 11, and the 4th editon (2011) opened in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake. Now the 7th editon Since its inauguraton in 2001, the Yokohama Triennale has addressed the relatonships between Japan and has been impacted by the new coronavirus, which started spreading widely in early 2020. the world, and the individual and society, and reexamined the social role of art from a variety of perspectves, in response to a world in constant flux. With travel restrictons in place, and neither the overseas-based artstc director Raqs Media Collectve nor artsts able to atend in person, preparatons for the exhibiton were completed online. To help minimize risk, The first three editons (2001, 2005, 2008) were primarily organized and overseen by the Japan Foundaton the event’s opening was delayed by two weeks, and on July 17 the Yokohama Triennale opened to the public, to enhance cultural exchange between Japan and other countries and cultures through contemporary art. becoming one of the first major internatonal exhibitons to physically open during the pandemic. It closed From the fourth editon (2011), the City of Yokohama has been the primary organizer of the event. 78 days later, having welcomed 154,000 visitors. The Yokohama Triennale is a natonal project supported by the Ministry of Cultural Afairs, and also a project that represents the ‘Culture, Art and Creatve City Yokohama.’ Many events and much of the work by volunteer guides had to be repurposed quickly to online platforms in a process that provided a valuable opportunity to think about how the online realm might be utlized by the art exhibitons of the future. The Yokohama Triennale and Its Mission This report documents the preparaton, contents and operaton the Triennale’s many aspects, as well as the MISSION various related community programs and initatves. We hope that this report will be useful to the organizers The Yokohama Triennale, one of the leading internatonal exhibitons of contemporary art in Japan, will of other internatonal exhibitons and festvals who are in search of new ways of planning events in the face spearhead the development of ‘Culture, Art and Creatve City Yokohama’and cultvate a spiritually rich of unprecedented challenges during this pandemic. society that embraces diversity. Last but not least, we would like to express our deep grattude to all the artsts and lenders who generously GOALS provided artworks. We would also like to thank the Agency for Cultural Afairs for its support, many other ・To open new channels through art organizatons for their cooperaton and of course the many Yokohama Triennale Supporters who in spite of By celebratng contemporary art, the Yokohama Triennale provides opportunites to engage with a wide the difcult circumstances helped make the exhibiton a reality. range of expressions, which transcend any given genre or era, to foster beter understanding between people from many diferent generatons and backgrounds. City of Yokohama ・To engage with the world Yokohama Arts Foundaton As a natonal project, the Yokohama Triennale strives to contribute to internatonal exchange and mutual Japan Broadcastng Corporaton [NHK] understanding through its commitment to conveying new principles and values. The Asahi Shimbun Organizing Commitee for Yokohama Triennale ・To engage with the community By collaboratng with partners in ‘Culture, Art and Creatve City Yokohama,’ the Yokohama Triennale enhances and promotes the unique resources in the city. GUIDING POLICIES Striving for excellence / Nurturing future generatons / Contributng to shaping an inclusive society / Engaging with the Community / Celebratng art / Atractng business and tourism 2 3 Greetngs Yokohama Triennale 2020 —Bringing Together People, Society, and the Moment The Yokohama Triennale 2020 “Afterglow” came to an end in October 2020 after a successful three month I am delighted that the Yokohama Triennale 2020 “Afterglow” closed successfully, despite having opened run. I would like to first express my deepest grattude to all of the artsts who created wonderful works, with a two-week delay. and the Artstc Director, Raqs Media Collectve. I am also sincerely grateful to all those who supported the Triennale including the Agency for Cultural Afairs, the sponsors and supportng corporatons, citzen I would like to express my sincere grattude to the Artstc Director Raqs Media Collectve, who devoted supporters, and all others who made this editon possible. themselves to preparatons for the Triennale, with unceasing discussion and dialogue based on preliminary research, even as the world was plunged into unease due to the COVID-19 pandemic and travel between While the COVID-19 pandemic led to the postponement or cancellaton of many events, this Yokohama countries became impossible. Through their cooperaton and that of the partcipatng artsts, the many Triennale was held ahead of other biennales and triennales around the world. Believing in the power of art wonderful works on site in Yokohama could be realized. These works, overflowing with passion and creatvity, to heal our hearts, and to provide radiance and hope, we wanted to deliver a spirit of hope from Yokohama gave great encouragement not only to the visitors but also to the organizers struggling with the challenges of to many people. In such a tme, we wanted even more to deliver grattude and courage to artsts around the the exhibiton operatons. Further, through the online events and virtual tours, I am sure that the atracton of world. This was the reason for our decision to proceed. The number of visitors exceeded our expectatons, the cutng-edge expression of the works could be shared even with people who had been antcipatng the reaching 154,000; this made us realize anew that culture and art are needed by so many people. Triennale but were not able to atend physically. While also implementng stringent ant-contagion measures, we also took on the challenge of various The emergence of COVID-19 has made us think once again about globalizaton, the environment, and new initatves utlizing ICT to ensure the Triennale would be accessible for everyone to enjoy. The release connectons and divisions between people. I am sure that many people were able to discover hints for of a virtual tour site to allow visitors to view the exhibiton online, and the use of avatar robots for viewing, co-existence with the virus through the works exhibited. The Yokohama Triennale will contnue to confront have great potental for new styles of viewing art in the future. Further, through collaboraton including with various issues, as it has in the past, and to connect people, society and the tmes through contemporary art. BankART 1929 and the Koganecho Area Management Center, as well as local Yokohama companies and art We hope it will contnue to be such a place of encounter and thought. organizatons, the “Creatve Railway” art program was developed. With areas in and around Minato Mirai Line train statons as venues, visitors could enjoy the many artworks together with the City of Yokohama. Looking back on the records of the Yokohama Triennale 2020, I would like to express my deepest thanks to all those who made it possible. The Yokohama Triennale has grown into an internatonal exhibiton with Culture and the arts have an incomparable value, bringing a spiritual abundance and enrichment to people’s a long history, that atracts atenton from around the word, and we are already taking steps towards the hearts and to society. Yokohama, as a creatve city of art and culture, believes in the power of culture and the next editon. We thank you in advance for your ongoing cooperaton to ensure that the Yokohama Triennale arts, and promotes such values in building our city and community. Drawing on our experience in organizing contnues to be a popular and sustainable event in the years to come. distnctve arts festvals in dance, music and contemporary art, we will contnue to work with you all to promote to the world the atracton of culture and the arts, and of Yokohama. KONDO Seiichi Chairperson, Organizing Commitee for Yokohama Triennale HAYASHI Fumiko Chairperson, Yokohama Arts Foundaton Representatve Honorary President, Organizing Commitee for Yokohama Triennale Mayor of the City of Yokohama 4 5 Yokohama Triennale 2020 Area Map Outline of Yokohama Triennale 2020 “Afterglow” ● Title Sponsors Osanbashi Yokohama International Port of Yokohama Passenger Terminal Yokohama Triennale 2020 “Afterglow” Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Nomura Research Insttute, Ltd., MITSUI FUDOSAN GROUP, Mitsubishi Estate Group Yokohama Hammerhead ● Artstc Director ● Yamashita Park Raqs Media Collectve JVCKENWOOD Corporaton, Starts group, Fruits Tree Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse Kanagawa Kenmin Hall (Jeebesh Bagchi, Monica Narula, Shuddhabrata Sengupta) Dai Nippon Printng Co., Ltd, ● Seaside Park (Rinko