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Japan Art Islands

Maze Town - Phantasmagoric Alleys (目 [mé] - Shodoshima)

Maze Town - Phantasmagoric Alleys (目 [mé] - Shodoshima)
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Preliminary thoughts: I know that most of you follow me primarily for my posts about art in the Setouchi Islands. I also know that I haven't posted much about them lately. There are a few reasons for this. First, for the past months, I haven't had many opportunities to visit the islands and collect new "material". Second, although I have things to tell you and show you from previous visits, especially from last year's Setouchi Triennale, I rarely have the time or energy to do so. So, here's what I'm going to try from now on. Although, I like to provide as much background information as possible when I talk about the various artworks and locations, I will try to post more often, but I will probably write less. It'll be similar to what I used to do on my old blog, if you're a long-term reader. I'll alternate long, detailed posts with short ones containing just a few pictures and lines. Hopefully, this way, I'll be able to share these things with you more than once a week (Right now, it's less than once a week.) If you have any thoughts or feelings on the idea, please share them with me. I'm sometimes bad at replying to emails, but rest assured that I read them all. Let's try it and see what happens.

Today's artwork is not new at all; it dates from 2016. However, it's the first time I can show it to you because, until last year, pictures were not allowed.

The piece is called Maze Town - Phantasmagoric Alleys. It's by 目 (pronounced [mé] which means "eye" in Japanese), a collective of artists and creators, whose core group consists of artist Haruka Kojin, director Kenji Minamigawa, and production manager Hirofumi Masui. Artist Chubei Yagyu also contributed to the artwork.

The permanent installation is located in a house situated in the "maze town" that is downtown Tonosho.

A house in the maze town.

Some context: Tonosho is the largest town on Shodoshima, and its historic center is nicknamed "Meirocho" (Maze Town). The reason is obvious: if you're not familiar with the streets, it's a literal maze, and it's easy to get lost. I know my way around after having been there many times, but I still can't tell you which streets connect to which, and I always expect a few detours when I venture there.

A few years ago, various people, including "Mé" and the people of MeiPam (an art gallery based in Tonosho that is now known as the Yokai Museum) started a large-scale, long-term project. The goal was to transform parts of the "maze town" into an actual maze. The first part of the project was completed for the Setouchi Triennale 2013 and was amazing: a number of abandoned houses in good condition were connected in random ways, and visitors would get lost exploring them. It had a truly surrealist feel. You'd open a cupboard and enter a room. An exit was through a fridge. There were many more unbelievable yet real details and features. It was an incredible experience.

The original idea was to extend the maze as much as possible over time, adding various passages, catwalks, and other structures to connect the buildings. Sadly, it couldn't happen for practical and legal reasons. However, in 2016, a second installation was built in another part of the neighborhood, and that's what I'm going to show you today (unfortunately, the original installation no longer exists). As I mentioned earlier, I have never shown it before because pictures were not allowed until last year.

The installation is basically a house with its interior covered in... I'm not sure what it is, but it looks as if white foam (or dough?) spread and expanded all over the entire house, hardened, and turned the building into some sort of white cave.

The result is quite impressive and fun to visit.

Even though pictures are allowed now, it's sometimes difficult to take good ones because there isn't always enough space to find the right angle. It's even more difficult when a group of foreign tourists arrives all at once and doesn't care about you trying to take pictures. (Japanese people are mindful of others taking pictures and take turns. Other nationalities? Not so much). I still managed to take a few acceptable pictures.

Enjoy!

One of the most picturesque parts of the house was near the entrance, but it was nearly impossible to take a picture without someone in the frame. This lady especially wouldn't move, ignoring all hints. Oh well, she earned a spot on this blog whether she wanted it or not.

What made the installation so great was that some parts of the original house still remained here and there.

There is a bathtub at the end of this narrow corridor, but only a child or petite person can reach it. Definitely not me!

There are also a few "windows" in some rooms that allow you to spy on what's happening outside the house.

What do you think?

Maze Town - Phantasmagoric Alleys has been a permanent feature of the Setouchi Triennale since 2016, and I expect it will still be open in 2028. Currently, like many artworks on the Setouchi Islands, it is open one weekend a month (usually the second weekend) and on some holidays.

The artists:

［mé］
Mé is a Japanese art collective/team project with three core members, artist Haruka Kojin, director Kenji Minamigawa, and production manager Hirofumi Masui.Mé works on the realization of artworks that manipulate perceptions of the physicalworld. Their installations provoke awareness of the inherent unreliability and uncertainty in the world around us.
［mé］

Various news articles and blog posts from the past few weeks that I found and that are of interest related to our topics:

Tadao Ando Designed & Donated a Floating Library that Delivers Books to Children
Cutting through the white-capped waves of the Seto Inland Sea is a one-of-kind “floating library”. This is Hon no Mori-go (ほんのもり号) created to give children living on remote islands the opportunity to discover books and nurture their creativity. Inside the ship are shelves lined with 2000
Spoon & TamagoJohnny
Kenzo Tange’s Demolition-Bound ‘Boat Gym’ in Takamatsu City, Japan, is Spared from the Wrecking Ball for Now
Activists hope that the plight of the building, even if ultimately razed, raises awareness over the preservation of modern architecture in Japan.
Architectural RecordNaomi Pollock, FAIA
Fram Kitagawa Uses Art to Reconnect the Seto Inland Sea, Japan
Fram Kitagawa reflects on art, community, and the restoration of Japan’s Seto Inland Sea through one of the world’s most ambitious festivals.
WhitewallEliza Jordan
‘Memories of these places never leave you’: artist Do Ho Suh and the fabric of home
The internationally renowned South Korean’s diaphanous houses, coming to Tate Modern, embody the emotional imprint of where he has lived
The GuardianSean O’Hagan
Jaume Plensa Explores Monumental Scale and Material Across Two Exhibitions Happening Now
Two exhibitions by the same artist in two major cities, both happening at the same time. Remarkable works by the great Jaume Plensa.
My Modern MetSara Barnes
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Thanks for reading.

Until next time.

Best,

David

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