Contemporary Artists Exhibits at Traditional Warehouses in Kakunodate (Oct 22-30)

A-week long art event, “Neo-Classic! Kakunodate,” will be coming up on this Saturday, October 22nd through Sunday, 30th, 2011. At different places in this historic town known as Little Kyoto of Tohoku, there will be displayed a number of artworks created by the cutting-edge artists.

The admission is FREE, unless otherwise noted. The venues are open from 10:00 to 17:00 every day.

A: Arakawa-ke Kura

Carved Statue by Rei Sato, Paper Crafts by Collaborated Artists

B: Sotomachi Koryu Hiroba

Talks on How a Kyoto Artist Views Little Kyoto of Tohoku (October 22. 17:00)

Hyappai-kai (“100 Cups Party”) [October 22. 18:00]

*First 20 Adults +20. Some alcoholic drinks will be offered.

Kura will be illuminated. (October 29th. 18:00)

C: Nishinomiya-ke Komekura-doma

Carved Statue by Minakawa

D: Nishinomiya-ke Mae-kura

Artworks by Students of Akita Municipal Junior College of Arts and Crafts

E: Ando-ke Kura / Zashiki

Bronze, Wood Crafts, Metal Works, and others

F: Ota-ke Komekura

Mixed Media, Carved Statue, and Performance Art (October 29)

Why at Traditional Warehouses to Exhibit the Contemporary Art?

All the venues are Kura, traditional warehouses, that are scattered around in Kakunodate Town. The beautiful structure with black bones and white stucco walls almost always pairs up with the Samurai Houses, which conjures up a nostalgic sentiment and play such a quintessential role in reminding you of its abiding tradition.

Despite the familiarity of its glorious hisoty, the fact that the town has survived countless number of major fire accidents over the centuries is rarely mentioned. The people have overcome such catastrophe with the most advanced technology of that time: Our forerunners have passed the tradition down to our current generations.

The contemporary artists believe that those modest buildings proves the such achievement of our ancestors. It also continues to questions us “what remains” and reminds us that the Frontier of Creation is a key to the future. That is why Kura itself was chosen to play a role in this Art exhibition.

(Source / kakunodate-kanko.jp)

A number of artists collaborate to work with the traditional materials and themes. What do they express to show us the next possibility? Sure it will be an interesting exhibition!