著者

八田 典子

出版者

島根県立大学

雑誌

総合政策論叢 (ISSN:13463829)

巻号頁・発行日

no.7, pp.133-147, 2004-03

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The purpose of this paper is to show the significance of "Art Project" by studying the results of the author's several field investigations. The interesting art movements called "Art Project" have been carried out in several places of Japan in recent years. They have been attracting our attention as an attempt to review the conventional way of art and to try to build some new relations between art and human beings or our society. I paid special attention to the projects: the "Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennial 2000" and the "Naoshima Island Project." The former was held for the purpose of realizing its regional revitalization in the Echigo-Tsumari district of the Niigata prefecture in the summer of 2000. The theme of this project was "Human Beings Are a Part of Nature" and the main site for its exhibition included many hills and fields in this district. The local inhabitants cooperated with a number of artists in creating and then setting the art works which represented the history or environmental problems of the area. The latter, the "Naoshima Island Project" has been developed by an enterprise in the small island of Naoshima in the Inland Sea of Japan since 1992. This project has been developing various interesting activities which esteem the history and the nature of Naoshima so that they may put by art new vitality into the community. I would like to point out the following characteristics of "Art Project," based on the results of these investigations. Firstly, it attaches great importance to a place or a human being, and increases the number of art-friendly people. This trend means that the original energy of art aims to free itself from restraints of the system of an art museum, and requests direct ties with people or community. Secondly, many projects which are held in a small town or country area are more impressive than the activities of the same kind in a big city. This shows that contemporary art has the power to produce an undaily world, and that this power is exercised more strongly in a striking contrast in the former. It suggests that a big city differs considerably from the original environment for human beings' life. In conclusion, the significance of "Art Project" is summarized as follows. "Art Project" is obtaining an result as an attempt to vitalize people and community from inside, and it is the interesting collaboration of various art expressions in the twentieth century. Furthermore, it gives an opportunity for us to watch the present society objectively by exhibiting its strong power of producing an undaily world. On the other hand, for the success of "Art Project," the following tasks are pointed out. First, it is important to consider fully the relationship between the characteristics peculiar to each area and art, not following the cases of other areas in an imprudent manner. Second, it is necessary for us to try to deepen our understanding of art without confining us to contemporary art.