Nature, history, and modern art
Naoshima Art Project: The Rebirth of Art

There is a place where art miraculously revives a space that was being abandoned and useless.
This is Naoshima, the island of art that has gained international fame for its regional revitalization project through modern art.
Just over 20 years ago, Naoshima was practically an abandoned island due to severe natural damage. However, through extensive research and effort, it was reborn as a "paradise of modern art" amidst beautiful scenery.

"Naoshima, the Island of Art" is a "real" guide to Naoshima, told directly by the architects, artists, and curators who conceived and implemented the Naoshima Art Project. It is also an honest record of the project's progress.
A total of 14 authors have detailed the work process and points of interest to note, so anyone who wants to know the true face of Naoshima should definitely pay attention.
The appendix contains a map of the island, along with information on how to access the island, how to get around, meals, and lodging, all of which are clearly organized for your trip.

Many writers compress and melt the problems, challenges, and contradictions of modern society into a single work.
But would such a work, even if exhibited in a bustling and complex metropolis, truly capture the public's attention? The beauty of the Seto Inland Sea has been acclaimed worldwide since the late Edo period and the Meiji era.
The idea of ​​creating a cradle of modern art in the Seto Inland Sea, renowned for its world-class natural beauty, was thus concretized. --- p.11

Nowadays, Naoshima is constantly teeming with young people.
Of course, that alone is a joy, but it is actually an even greater joy to see the local grandparents regaining their vitality.
This is the power of contemporary art, and this phenomenon is hard to find anywhere else in the world.
This was made possible thanks to over 20 years of research and development driven by the desire to create a paradise of this world, not a paradise or heaven after death, a place overflowing with the laughter of the elderly, the "masters of life." --- p.14

Old people are masters of life.
For them, a little money or material things cannot bring joy.
We must bring smiles back to the faces of our elderly, who are our future.
So, on the islands of the Seto Inland Sea, where most of the residents are elderly, we are trying to create a region where 'elderly people can live with a smile' by using modern art as a tool.
(...) The purpose of corporate activities is 'culture', and 'the economy must be subordinate to culture'.
In modern society, means are becoming ends.
The only thing that can create wealth is business activity.
So the question is how to distribute that wealth. Instead of just collecting it through taxes, why not use some of it to help companies themselves create better communities?
All human and corporate activities should aim to create a good community. --- pp. 19-20

Naoshima has almost none of the elements you'd expect to find in a typical tourist destination.
There are no ruins, no hot springs, and no notable scenery.
A refreshing scene unfolds, almost like everyday life.
But the towns and scenery of Naoshima, which seem to exist anywhere, are in fact sights that have already disappeared.
A place that used to be there but isn't anymore, a place that doesn't seem to exist anywhere else.
Moreover, it is far from the center of Tokyo, so you cannot go there whenever you want.
These various elements are well woven together.
It can be said that the artists are doing very pure work in Naoshima.
There are no other places in the world like Naoshima where people can think about what they really want to do with the environment and try to make the most of it.
Art cannot make bread, nor can it make weapons.
But after seeing a work of art, you may feel as if something has changed in yourself or the world.
I opened a place and created an art gallery, and felt its potential again. --- pp.92-93

I have been watching Naoshima change little by little for the past dozen years.
Creating a connection between art and islanders is a very difficult task.
For example, it is extremely difficult to connect Bruce Nauman and the islanders by laying a circuit between them.
Nevertheless, Naoshima achieved this after a long period of consistent effort.

--- p.165