Naoshima

What a great vacation. Naoshima was 500 times more than we ever expected. The island was serene, the hotel was stunning, and the art and architecture were both just breathtaking. Everywhere you turned there was a surprise. The art was all very contemporary and participatory... and also very accessible. I don't know much about contemporary art and usually find it hard to understand and get into, but this was not the case.

Outside of the hotel (which was on the beach), several pieces dotted the coast. A giant yellow and black pumpkin, a pier to nowhere, boats sawed in half... all very cool and in a beautiful setting.

But then there were two museums... one on a hilltop and one underground. The architect was Tadao Ando this famous Japanese architect. He built this wild museum underground and then used natural light to light it. Of course, you were supposed to be quiet and there was Carlos screaming in every echoing hall he could find. One room had these stairs you walked up into another white room with bright light at the end. You could only walk so far, but were bathed in light such that you could not tell where walls were, etc. When you turned around the opening through which you entered glowed orange and the room from which you entered disappeared. It was done by this artist James Turrell

Here is one by Walter de Maria.












They didn't allow photos inside the museum, so I had to pilfer that one.

Then there were these art houses. They took traditional houses and gave them to these contemporary artists to design. James Turrell did one where you go in and sit in total blackness for five to ten minutes until your eyes adjust to this BARELY perceptible light. When you start to see the light you get up and walk around and try to put your hand through it. Before you see the light you think you are going crazy. Your eyes are open and can see nothing, but somehow the whole experience is terrifying. If you had to run you wouldn't know where to go.

Another house was hollowed out on the inside and painted wildly with a giant white statue of liberty inside.

The art was all amazing and impossible to describe. It was like each piece was a surprise present to open. The art was the island, the architecture and the pieces themselves.

Oh... The hotel. We stayed one night (courtesy of my parents for David's birthday) at the most exquisite Benesse house. This was our balcony.


















The second night (courtesy of us) we stayed at a 36 dollar per person per night with macaroni and mayonnaise breakfast included) at these mongolian yurts on the beach. The location was great and if you have the mindset that you are camping in a Japanese-style KOA you are in heaven. If you remember that a mere 500 yards away is the Benesse House with no mosquitos, spiders, outhouses, or charges to shower... it is a bit of a bummer.
In the morning we decided against he macaroni breakfast and went back to Benesse house for the beautiful brunch buffet. Unshowered and covered in mosquito bites, we felt like homeless hobos trying to steal bread from the trash of the Four Seasons Hotel.

The yurts: