Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale 2022｜Echigo-Tsumari Art Field

About

Summary

This art festival has continued for 20 years in the vast satoyama of the Echigo-Tsumari region of Niigata Prefecture. The 8th exhibition will be held from spring to fall after a one-year postponement.

Message

This time the festival runs from Friday 29 April to Sunday 13 November 2022, much longer than past festivals.

We have come to this decision through careful consideration after the festival was forced to be postponed last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 We would like to express our sincere gratitude for your continuing support.Drawing on cooperation between visitors, local people, artists, and supporters, we are planning a festival that is “good to go and great to host” and we hope that as many people as possible will be able to visit Echigo-Tsumari and experience the charm of this place. 

SEKIGUCHI Yoshifumi,
Chairman of ETAT Committee
KITAGAWA Fram,
General Director

Participating artists: 263 individuals and groups of artists from 38 countries and regions (including new artworks created by 95 artists and groups form 13 countries and regions)
Number of artworks: 210 existing artworks plus 123 new artworks (including the pre-released artworks)

COVID-19 Safety Plan

In order to keep everyone safe including visitors, locals, and all the other people engaged with Echigo-Tsumari Art Field in this global pandemic era, we have set up “Guidelines for COVID-19 Safety Plan” to run the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale 2022.

We will set up body temperature measurement spots across the region during Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale 2022 and check visitors’ body temperature, health conditions. Wearing a mask will be mandatory and after these checks are done visitors will be given a wristband which will be required to present when entering to artworks. Visitors will be asked to visit one of the body temperature measurement spots each day before entering the region for enjoying the festival. (Please note that a person with a body temperature of 37℃ and above will not be allowed into the festival.)

Details

Summary

Duration	145 days from Friday 29 April to Sunday 13 2022 ※ Closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (excluding Golden Week Holiday period)
Venue	760㎢ of Echigo-Tsumari region (Tokamachi-city and Tsunan-town in Niigata Prefecture
Organiser	Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale Executive Committee
Co-organiser	NPO Echigo-Tsumari Satoyama Cooperative Organisation
Chairman	SEKIGUCHI Yoshifumi (Mayor of Tokamachi-city)
Vice-chairman	KUWABARA Haruka (Mayor of Tsunan-town)
Honorary Chairman	HANAZUMI Hideyo (Governor of Niigata Prefecture)
General Producer	Fukutake Soichiro (Chairman of the Board, Fukutake Foundation / Honorary Advisor, Benesse Holdings, Inc.)
General Director	KITAGAWA Fram
Creative Director	SATOH Taku
Official Supporter Leader	TAKASHIMA Kohey

Artworks / Artists

7/13-11/10, 2024 (Closed on Tue ＆ Wed except holidays)

7/13-11/10, 2024 (Closed on Tue ＆ Wed except holidays)

Extend snow fence in Tsumari 2024 Summer

Events

^10/7FRI ‐ ^10/10MON

Performance

"A journey without distance" by Nibroll

“If it wasn’t pandemic I would have done that – we will embark on a journey of time which has gone missing. Whether you are here or not, if it exists there or not – it occurs to me that the situation that one has to feel the distance to each other rather sharpens our physical sense. This is a performance that takes you around and uses the entire space of Echigo-Tsumari Kamigo Clove Theatre which use to be Kamigo Junior High School. Let’s go on a journey together without distance, a journey to time and place born from dance, theatre play, art, movie, and music.” (The artist’s comment)

^10/1SAT ‐ ^10/2SUN

Performance

"DRAMA, The Creation of the World: Pilgrimage Time of ONDEKOZA" by ONDEKOZA

ONDEKOZA will run a training camp in Echigo-Tsumari and perform at Matsudai Nohbutai. They run, eat, and sleep in the place they perform and weave sounds in human physiology. According to the “Sorakuron” which goes “running and music are one and the same, reflecting drama and energy of life”, Ondekoza pursues the sounds that are born as they co-exist in nature as well as the sounds that are in nature or part of nature while exploring new forms of expressions.

^9/10SAT ‐ ^9/11SUN

Performance

”The Pure Present" by Moriyama Mirai

Moriyama Mirai will perform at the “Last Class” as a stage, the artwork created in 2006 by Christian Boltanski and Jean Kalman. “Something that is no longer there but used to exist there. An overwhelming “absence” rising up because of being confronted. Withered rice straw symbolises the end of the harvest while at the same time it becomes the earth that attracts new sprouts. The monster of a snowball that can swallow everything born out of the blizzard will eventually melt and become water for life. The performance will take inspiration from the world view of Boltanski contrasting existence and absence which are dark but beautiful contours and customs of Echigo-Tsumari." (The artist's comment)

^8/27SAT ‐ ^8/28SUN

Performance

"Farming implements as instruments!" by Oka Makoto

The artist transforms farm tools that were given to him by local people into musical instruments and present them at Tsunan Junior High School. The music instruments keep their original shapes of old farm tools and everyday articles and produce tones following the way they used to be used. The artist who is a professional jazz musician gives a live performance using the farm tool instruments with guest musicians as well as organises an event to play music with students from Tsunan Junior High School.

^8/20SAT ‐ ^8/21SUN

Performance

"Pantalone in Hokuetsu" by TEATRO COMMEDIA DELL'ARTE

A hybrid of fiction based upon “the historical facts of Niigata” and Commedia dell'Arte, a classical Italian masked comedy. Based upon a bestselling book of the Edo Period called “Hokuetsu Sepp” which talked about Niigata in heavy snowfall written by a native of Uonuma, unique characters of Commedia dell’Arte will perform a slapstick comedy at the sake brewery of Tsumari as a stage. The artist presents the work that is born when the attractions of Niigata meet a universal comedy that is beyond age, gender, language, and nationality.

^8/14SUN ‐ ^9/11SUN

workshops

Mapped to the Closest Address / Dance and other participatory workshops

Various workshops are held for beginners to enjoy, such as dance and gateball.

^8/6SAT ‐ ^8/7SUN

Performance

"Footprints of tomorrow, footsteps and me" by Ochi Yoshie

“I will create and perform a theatre play with children of Echigo-Tsumari. The process of creating the artwork is unique and there is no script or dialogue. Performers are only primary school students without any adults. The producer will take words and plays that would come out from children during a workshop into a theatrical play and direct it. This will be an original work for those who live in this place. Please come and watch the play that can never be created by adults.” (The artist’s comment)

Travel Information

Eat

Try dishes using seasonal and local ingridients from Satoyama. Some artworks open as café and restaurants.

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Stay

Abandoned houses transformed into artworks as well as closed schools are available for staying overnight as accommodations.

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Hub Facilities

Hub facilities are great spots to visit as you explore artworks.

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Tickets

TheETAT passport which supports the festival is valid for the duration of the festival and gives you an access to see artworks. It is a passport to enjoy the stamp rally and travel around the satoyama with the artworks as landmarks. In addition, this year’s passport can be purchased at an “early bird” rate until the end of July, even during the exhibition period, and some artworks can be entered up to three times with this passport. Various special offers are included, such as discounts for hot springs, lodging, dining facilities, and events. Free admission for junior high school students and younger.

Buy tickets

Tour

A variety of tours that visitors can enjoy different routes each season are available, including official one-day tours with lunch and guide, starting and ending in Echigo-Yuzawa Station; a guided tours by Kitagawa Fram, General Director; a half-day tour bus (without lunch and guide) that visits works in different areas; and customized tours for training and educational trips.

Support

Why not join the supporting teams of ETAT? People of different age and background from various parts of Japan and abroad engage with the wide range of activities of the festival including helping artist create artworks, showing visitors around as a tour guide, welcoming guests and managing artworks. The Kohebi-tai supporters team welcome new members throughout the year.

ETAT is also grateful for the generous contributions from the diverse range of groups, companies and individuals.

※Click here to find out more about donations and sponsorship.

Details

Access

ETAT is held in the Echigo-Tsumari region, located at the southern tip of Niigata prefecture. Approximately 200 permanent artworks are dotted across the 760 square kilometer area consisting of six areas. Plan your visit by identifying artworks and facilities you wish to visit.

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Inquiry

Please contact us using “press and media enquiry form” if you wish to download images of artworks.

FAQ

Inquiry

Press Enquiries

Stay In Touch

Stay connected with the ETAT official social media to receive the latest news and event information, and the many seasonal faces of Echigo-Tsumari as well as new issue of the ETAT official media, “Art from the Land”.