EVENT OUTLINE 開催概要

BIWAKO BIENNALE 2022 : ORIGIN

Exhibition period
2022 Oct 8th (Sat) 〜 2022 Nov 27th (Sun)
Venues
Omihachiman Old Town, Okishima, HIkone Old Town, Hikone Castle, Toriimoto, etc. (Shiga Prefecture)
Opening hours
10:00〜17:00 (Last admission：16:30)
Closing days
Wednesdays（no closing day on the last week of the Biennale）
Organized by
International Art festival BIWAKO BIENNALE Executive Committee, Japan Arts Council, Agency for Cultural Affairs
Executive Committee Chairman
KONISHI Osamu（Omihachiman City mayor）
General Director
NAKATA Yoko

About

History and tradition highlighted by contemporary art

The BIWAKO BIENNALE invites artists from Japan and abroad to exhibit their works in the old towns of Omihachiman, Hikone, and other areas around Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture. When walking through streets and venues rooted in history and tradition, visitors can experience the rich culture of these towns. The BIWAKO BIENNALE aims to "revitalize the community", turning abandoned and vacant houses into art exhibition venues, to rediscover their charm and pass them on to future generations. The project starts with local residents and volunteers from all over Japan cleaning up the houses which have been abandoned for many years. Then, the artists use a wide range of techniques to create pieces that engage with the space they work with, bringing out the charm of the towns and the venues, and breathing life into it.

We hope that visitors will enjoy this exhibition that combines the towns’ history and traditions with contemporary art, as an experience that appeals to all five senses.

Theme : ORIGIN

The theme for the 10th edition of the BIWAKO BIENNALE is ORIGIN. Our origins, and the universe, which is expanding at an ever-increasing speed, can be traced back to the Big Bang that occurred 13.8 billion years ago. Trillions and trillions of stars were born and disappeared again. Birth and death are unavoidable, even for the universe itself. Each individual's life is nothing but a miniature reproduction of this.

Why was the universe born? Is there any meaning to our existence as human beings? I believe we can find a glimpse of the answer in the "art" that emerges from the deepest part of the hearts and minds of human beings who continue to create and explore.

Artists

The BIWAKO BIENNALE is a grand symphony performed by artists. About 70 selected artists from Japan and abroad will come together to sublimate each space into their own work of art.

  • Dysbiotica (鹿) - Ken+Julia Yonetani (supported by the Australia Council)
  • SUIT - Egashira Makoto
  • edge type [35° 8' 27.4" N 136° 5' 30.4" E] - circle side
  • Liquid Sunshine / I am a Pluviophile - Sasaki Rui

Artists

The exhibition areas

The BIWAKO BIENNALE is divided into two main areas: the Omihachiman area and the Hikone area. The main venues of the Omihachiman area are located in the Old Town of Omihachiman, which is based on the castle town built by Hidetsugu Toyotomi, and which developed as the birthplace of the Omi merchants in the early modern period. The city of Hikone flourished around the Hikone Castle, which was built in the 17th century. It was designated a National Treasure and still proudly stands.

  • Shinmachi street. Omihachiman has been the main stage of the BIWAKO BIENNALE for years.
  • Genkyu-en. The Hikone area includes the Hikone Castle and its surroundings.
  • Okishima. An inhabited island in Lake Biwa, and a first time venue for the BIWAKO BIENNALE.
  • Toriimoto. In the Hikone area, the Arikawa Residence is known for its stomach medicine, Akadama Shinkyomaru.

This year, the BIWAKO BIENNALE venues list expands to Okishima and Toriimoto. Okishima is Japan's only inhabited island in Lake Biwa, a rarity in the world. Its fishing industry is thriving, and is responsible for half of all the fish caught in Lake Biwa. Toriimoto is a quiet post town on the Nakasendo Road from Edo. Its atmosphere still reveals how prosperous it was in those days. You can explore one area in depth in a single day, or visit different areas and enjoy different views of the world. We hope you will make use of all your senses as you travel and experience spaces made more luminous by art.

The venues

OMIHACHIMAN AREA(Omihachiman Old Town：10 facilities＋EXTENTION 1 facilities、Okishima：10 facilities)

The main stage of this exhibition area is the Old Town of Omihachiman, a historical town of water transportation, where Omi merchants developed and prospered. Okishima, despite being the center of Lake Biwa’s fishing industry, is a small island that takes only about two hours to visit by foot, and is one of the few inhabited lake islands in the world.

  • Former Hachiman Post Office (Omihachiman Area Information Desk)
  • Former Ban Residence
  • Kanekichi Second House

See Omihachiman Area venues

HIKONE AREA(Hikone Castle surrounding:9 facilities+EXTENTION 1 facilities、Toriimoto:4 facilities)

Around the Hikone Castle, the historical architecture of the castle town will be the center stage of this exhibition area. Toriimoto is a former post town on Nakasendo, a highway that was created in the Edo period. Toriimoto venues include the Arikawa Family Residence (Arikawa Pharmacy), a 350-year-old pharmacy well known for its medicine Akatama Shinkyomaru.

  • Former Kondo Kimono Shop (Hikone Area Information Desk)
  • Hikone Castle
  • YAMA-NO-YU (Former Public Bath House)

See Hikone Area venues

Events

Workshops, concerts, and other events will take place during the BIWAKO BIENNALE. Information is constantly updated on our News page and SNS platforms.
*Some events may be canceled depending on public health regulation policies.

  • Workshops
  • Concerts and performances
  • Pre Event

See Events