Experience the Vibrant "Living Art" Island Exhibition from Japan on our Los Angeles Website
Revitalizing Inujima: A Journey Through Art and Culture
The remote Japanese island of Inujima, once a nearly abandoned mining community, has been transformed into an important hub for contemporary art and culture. Known as "Dog Island," Inujima is now a vibrant destination, thanks to the Inujima Art House Project.
This transformative initiative, led by renowned Japanese architect Kazuyo Sejima, has been reshaping the island for 17 years. With support from art patron Prada Mode and the Fukutake Foundation, the project has integrated contemporary art deeply into the natural and cultural environment.
Central to the project is the Inujima Seirensho Art Museum. Once an abandoned Meiji-era copper refinery, the museum has been restored and repurposed, preserving much of the original industrial structures while blending heritage with modern art installations. The museum is a dynamic fusion where industrial history meets contemporary art and has been recognized as part of Japan's Modern Industrial Heritage.
Apart from the museum, several traditional village houses on the island have been renovated and transformed into art spaces. These houses function as venues for artworks integrated into the village scenery and homes, fostering encounters between visitors and locals. The project exemplifies how art can revitalize remote, declining communities by creating new cultural narratives and encouraging sustainable tourism.
Inujima is now a destination of the Setouchi Triennale, a major contemporary art festival held every three years in the Seto Inland Sea region. Visitors experience a rare cultural journey where art, community, history, and nature converge, highlighting a responsibility to preserve culture through artistic cultivation.
The Inujima Art House Project features five art pavilions and outdoor exhibits that evolve with the landscape over time. The exhibition titled "Symbiosis: Living Island" showcases creative projects on Inujima, inviting visitors to travel the road around the island to explore the artworks.
The "Symbiosis: Living Island" exhibition is on view at our Los Angeles location from April 15 - July 5, 2023. Curated by Yuko Hasegawa and internationally renowned architect Kazuyo Sejima, the exhibition includes an experiential diorama of Inujima, featuring architectural models of the art pavilions, documentary videos, and testimonies from residents.
The gallery is open daily from 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. (Mon. - Fri.) and 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. (Sat. - Sun.). Admission to the exhibition is free, and walk-ins are invited. The exhibition also includes the work of renowned photographer Takashi Homma, showcasing Inujima's unique landscape.
Three artists featured in the exhibition are Beatriz Milhazes from Brazil, Haruka Kojin, and Yusuke Komuta from Japan. In 2008, Inujima became part of the Benesse Art Site Naoshima project, a series of development activities spearheaded by Benesse Holdings, Inc. and Fukutake Foundation.
The Inujima Art House Project is a testament to the power of art and culture in revitalizing communities. It is an innovative project that reflects the best of Japan, as demonstrated by our Los Angeles location, which offers a place of new discovery that reflects the best of Japan.
- Art, design, and architecture have been thoroughly integrated into the natural and cultural environment of Inujima, a once nearly abandoned mining community, as part of the Inujima Art House Project.
- As a vibrant destination, Inujima hosts various events like the Setouchi Triennale, showcasing a convergence of art, community, history, and nature.
- The Inujima Seirensho Art Museum, originally an abandoned Meiji-era copper refinery, serves as a dynamic gallery that preserves its industrial history while presenting contemporary art installations.
- Home-and-garden spaces on the island have been renovated and repurposed as art spaces, fostering encounters between visitors and locals.
- Curated by Yuko Hasegawa and Kazuyo Sejima, the "Symbiosis: Living Island" exhibition, on view at the Los Angeles gallery from April 15 - July 5, 2023, features architectural models, documentary videos, and testimonies from residents, offering a place of new discovery reflecting the best of Japan.
