Oiwa Island 2 (2013-2016 Setouchi Triennale)

Oiwa Island 2 by Oscar Oiwa is an artwork that I had been anticipating since I saw it in pictures in 2013. This fascinating artwork was created by Oscar Oiwa and originally located on Ibukijima. It was such a good artwork that it was moved to Shodoshima for the 2016 Setouchi Triennale and hopefully it will be back again and again.

Oiwa Island 2 (Shodoshima)

Oiwa Island 2 (Entrance)

In 2013, Oscar Oiwa created Oiwa Island 2. Oiwa Island 2 is a continuation of his original Oiwa Island which was located on Ogijima. The original Oiwa Island was a long drawing made of black markers on plastic that took up an entire room from floor to ceiling. Unfortunately it was destroyed in a fire. For Oiwa Island 2, he took the same concept but made the plastic into a bubble. It is a very interactive and fun artwork that must be experienced.

Oiwa Island 2

Oiwa Island 2

For the 2016 Setouchi Triennale, Oiwa Island 2 was setup in an old warehouse. When you enter, you are asked to take off your shoes and you enter the main entrance. The entrance is a plastic/vinyl door with Velcro and clips. The volunteer helped us get in and you are immediately awestruck by how big the bubble is. The bubble is so big that you can’t touch the sky but you can definitely reach for it. I was amazed by things and quickly realized that taking photos would be a significant challenge.

Oiwa Island 2

Oiwa Island 2

Everywhere you look in the bubble you will see different sections of the scenery. The entrance is where the house is and from the house you can see various fauna. This leads you to the beach where the sea begins. If you look out you can see the horizon where the ocean “ends” along with various ships in the sea. From the floor to the ceiling, the entire place was surreal. From what I heard, Oscar Oiwa completed this artwork for the 2016 Setouchi Triennale with the sky as he didn’t have time to finish the sky in 2013.

Oiwa Island 2

Oiwa Island 2

Oiwa Island 2 is a must see artwork as is most of Oscar Oiwa’s other works. In the heat of summer it was tough to enjoy but thankfully the air blowers which kept the bubble pressurized helped bring a light breeze into some areas of the bubble. If you ever get a chance to see this artwork, don’t miss it!