Niigata's Murakami City: Enjoy Fun Events, Sightseeing, and Local Cuisine!

Yokohama Triennale 2017 - An Amazing Art Festival Held Every 3 Years!

This service includes sponsored advertisements.
article thumbnail image

Yokohama Triennale is an art festival that is held in Yokohama once every three years. 2017 is its 6th anniversary. What kind of art are there? Let us show you its highlights including photos.

Latest update :

What Is the Yokohama Triennale?

The Yokohama Triennale is an art festival that is held every three years. It is open for 88 days, from August 4th to November 5th, 2017. 2017 is the 6th anniversary of this event. The theme for 2017 is "connection" and "isolation" and is entitled "Islands, Constellations, and Galapagos". It shows current international issues where different values cross.

The Yokohama Triennale 2017 is located in the center of Yokohama in Kanagawa prefecture. The main venue is the Yokohama Museum of Art. It is a 10 minute walk from Sakuragicho Station on the JR or Yokohama City Subway.

While some of the art is displayed at Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse No.1 and the basement of Yokohama Port Opening Memorial Hall, in this article, we will introduce you to the main collection in the Yokohama Museum of Art.

The Collection at the Yokohama Museum of Art

Yokohama Triennale 2017

At the entrance of Yokohama Museum of Art, you will encounter Safe Passage (2016) and Reframe (2016) by Ai Weiwei, a Chinese modern artist. Weiwei was born in Beijing, China, and currently resides in Berlin, Germany.

Safe Passage is made of approximately 800 life jackets. These jackets were worn by refugees who have crossed the Mediterranean Sea from the Middle East and North Africa to Lesbos Island. Reframe is made of 14 orange lifeboats. Both works alert us to the reality of refugee issues.

Yokohama Triennale 2017

A Tame Island (Japan) - Island of Fantasy (2017) by Map Office, a unit of artists, is a piece that expresses the image of Japan as an island country. It is a collection of pieces from literature and movies based on keywords such as time, war, love, and fantasy. Visitors can interpret the various meanings that the island holds within by themselves.

It is a small piece but is very detailed and interesting.

Yokohama Triennale 2017

This is  A Slice for Terra Australis (2017) by Joy Kawakubo. In this piece, a map is illustrated on a half-moon shaped object.

Broomberg & Chanalin

You are allowed to touch the colorful cubes of London Suicide Bombers (L-R) (2011) by Broomberg & Chanalin.

Yokohama Triennale 2017

Black Flower Train – My Generation (2008) by Sachiko Kazama illustrates the satire of structuralism in modern society while including comical elements from ukiyoe (a genre of Japanese art) to manga.

3年に1度だけのアートフェス!横浜トリエンナーレの見どころを紹介

You can also enjoy various types of art such as Eye see you (2008) by Olafur Eliasson,

Yokohama Triennale 2017

Hole (2012) by Mark Justiniani,

Paola Pivi

and I and I (I have to get up for art) (2014) by Paola Pivi.

We have only introduced a small part of the Yokohama Triennale 2017 here. Photographs are allowed for most pieces.  We hope that you will have a chance to visit the festival.

Admission Fee and Hours

Yokohama Triennale 2017

English descriptions of the works are available for visitors.

Tickets for a one-time entry for each venue of the Yokohama Triennale 2017 are 1800 yen for adults, 1200 yen for university and college students, and 800 yen for high school students.

You can enjoy the art from 10:00-18:00 (last entry 17:00) until November 5th, 2017. It is open until 20:30 (last entry 20:00) for six days, October 27th-29th and November 2nd-4th, and is closed on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month.

Why not take part in this art festival that is available only every three years?

Interview cooperation: Yokohama Museum of Art, Yokohama Triennale 2017 Public Relations Office


Written by

1988年東京生まれ・在住。 慶應義塾大学文学部東洋史学科卒業後、2012年朝日新聞社に入社。 新聞記者として新潟、青森、京都を転々とし、2016年11月からフリーで活動を始める。 旅、演劇、本などが主な守備範囲のフリーライター、フリーランサー。

The information presented in this article is based on the time it was written. Note that there may be changes in the merchandise, services, and prices that have occurred after this article was published. Please contact the facility or facilities in this article directly before visiting. Some of our articles contain affiliate links. We kindly ask our readers to exercise careful judgement when making a purchase or booking a service online.