The Beppu Contemporary Art Festival 2015, "The World of Mixed Bathing Hot Springs," will be held in various locations around downtown Beppu from July 18 to September 27. The festival has been held every three years since 2009. This third edition, based on the theme "The World is Full of Mysteries," will feature a variety of lively projects across the city. A highlight of the festival is the "Tour-Style Art Project," where participants are guided through the labyrinthine cityscape. The tours are divided into two parts: the "Art Gate Cruise," a small-group art tour that invites participants into an unknown world, and the "Beppu Secret Night Dance Tour," which takes in the entire city. The "Art Gate Cruise" takes visitors on an art-filled tour of Beppu, a city fortunate enough to have escaped the air raids and where the faint scent of the past still lingers. Artists interact with the places and create their works in the normally inaccessible inner city, including abandoned buildings, winding alleys, and hidden basements. By experiencing the works of these artists, visitors can experience a unique time-space journey while encountering the town's memories.
Participating artists include Shiori Eda, winner of numerous awards including the Amano Taro Award at the Marunouchi Art Awards; guitarist and turntablist Yoshihide Otomo, who composed the music for "Amachan"; Ryota Kuwakubo; and Shuta Hasunuma.
Meanwhile, the "Beppu Secret Night Dance Tour" will lead guides through dance and performances taking place throughout the town during the festival. Internationally renowned dancers, including Yukio Suzuki, a choreographer and dancer active in over 30 cities worldwide, and Yoko Higashino, head of the studio "BABY-Q Dance Lab," will transform the Beppu cityscape at night into a mysterious and enchanting theater. Also taking place at the former strip club "Eikyu Beppu Theater" will be a haunted house created by contemporary artists, lighting designers, system designers, and performers. During the festival, three artist groups will one after another create spaces of fear and mystery, bringing a new haunted house to the streets of Beppu that can be enjoyed by everyone from elementary school students to adults. The opening first period will be directed by "ANTIBODIES Collective," a unit consisting of Higashino Sachiko, Kajiwara Toshio, and OLEO, and will utilize their respective areas of expertise, such as dance, music, and art. The second period will be directed by "MuDA," a group that uses a variety of media, centered around dancer, choreographer, and director QUICK, and the third period will be handled by the Fukuoka Scary Things Research Group.
【Event Information】
Beppu Contemporary Art Festival 2015 "The World of Mixed Bathing Hot Springs"
Venue: Various locations in Beppu City, Oita Prefecture
Address: Beppu City, Oita Prefecture
Dates: July 18th - September 27th
Fee: Varies depending on the program (free - 3,500 yen)
