KALEIDOSCOPE BLACK & WHITE is a great artwork by Takeshi Kawashima and probably a labour of love for him. The artwork seems to change each Triennale so this one will probably only be around for the next few years before it is changed for 2019. Kaleidoscope is a very appropriate name for this artwork and based on what I heard, it is similar to the original artwork in 2010. I was not as impressed by the work in 2013 but I was thoroughly impressed this time.
KALEIDOSCOPE BLACK & WHITE
KALEIDOSCOPE BLACK & WHITE
Kaleidoscope is located behind the Dream Cafe, a popular spot for a drink and light foods up in Ogijima. I don’t believe the cafe is open often outside the Triennale but it is a nice place. When you pass the cafe, you come to the main entrance for Takeshi Kawashima’s artwork. I believe all of the artwork was done by hand using black markers. The entrance is pretty standard and when you walk into the room, you are hit by the detailed work of Takeshi Kawashima.
KALEIDOSCOPE BLACK & WHITE
KALEIDOSCOPE BLACK & WHITE
It is impossible to see every little detail, let alone try to document every detail. I did my best but it is far better to just walk around and enjoy the room. From the floor to the ceiling, Takeshi Kawashima made his intricate designs to emulate a Kaleidoscope; hence the name. To cover the windows, Takeshi Kawashima had fabric created in the same style that was hung to cover them. No matter where you looked, you could see this kaleidoscope in a different light. The fabric itself was used to create robes that you can wear and become part of the artwork.
KALEIDOSCOPE BLACK & WHITE
KALEIDOSCOPE BLACK & WHITE
When leaving, don’t forget to check out the extra bits of the artwork. There are real kaleidoscopes that you can look through, including a huge one. The huge kaleidoscope has been there since the beginning and you can move it and look through it to change the look. Don’t forget to also take a quick look at the washroom as that is also full of Takeshi Kawashima’s artwork and makes for an interesting time.
KALEIDOSCOPE BLACK & WHITE (Large Kaleidoscope)
Inside the Large Kaleidoscope
Restroom of KALEIDOSCOPE BLACK & WHITE
Selfie in KALEIDOSCOPE BLACK & WHITE
Information
- KALEIDOSCOPE BLACK & WHITE (Official Setouchi Triennale Site)
- Takeshi Kawashima (Official Site – Warning: Little to no information available)
My usual two cents… 😉
I find it funny when you describe the work’s location “behind Dream Café.”
Dream Café is actually in the front of Kawashima and Dream Friends Gallery, it’s an annex of it. 😉
Actually the whole place is the gallery. The Café is only open during the Triennale, so it’s not really a staple of Ogijima, more an extra little thing during the festival. 😉
Then, the Gallery has opened in 2010 and has hosted various pieces of art since then. Kawashima’s art during the Triennale and other local artists’ art in between Triennales.
Not sure where you read that the 2010 piece looked like Kaleidoscope Black & White, it didn’t at all.
It was called Shelter for Drops of Memory. You can read and see more about it there:
https://www.setouchiexplorer.com/takeshi-kawashima-dream-friends/
On a side note the kaleidoscopes date from 2013 I believe (both the big in the courtyard and the smaller ones inside).
On another side note, among the local art that was exhibited there, I must mention the project that was run from mid-2014 to late 2015. It was a project managed by Yuki Tani, a local artist who’s also an art teacher for young kids. The project was about making monsters and other creatures in paper and colors, most kids, but whoever wanted to really. This is where my daughter made art for the first time of her life (she was two and a half, it was the first time she held scissors or used glue), so as the project was officially part of the Art Setouchi 2014 & 2015 seasons, it means that her art was part of Art Setouchi for a year! (I always meant to write about it on the blog, and never did for some reason).
Also, on the last day of the project, we were on Ogijima, so my daughter created more creatures (she made a total of 5 or 6 over the year or so that the exhibit lasted), so did my wife and I. We were the last people to make art for the project, actually we helped dismantling it, so we got to keep our creations and bring them home… That was a lot of good memories.
However, while in 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2015 there were temporary exhibits in the gallery, Kaleidoscope Black & White is still there two years later as I’m typing these lines, so it may be a permanent exhibit this time. Takeshi Kawashima is not getting any younger, so that’s probably his final project for the Triennale. He’s turning 88 this year. He moved back to Takamatsu – his hometown – in 2016 after a few decades spent in NYC, he bought a large abandoned building outside of the city to turn it into a studio / gallery and he still makes art.
I forgot to mention, I met him twice. The first time on the day before the opening of the 2016, he was finishing to paint the toilet. And as he was very busy and quite late (they literally finished everything the night before the Triennale started), he told me: “You can take pictures and speak to me, but I will not turn around and pose (nor pause), I’m too busy.”
I met him again the following day for the opening, and he was more interested in playing with my son – who was 6 months old at the time – than talking to me (despite all our common acquaintances, I suspect that he had no idea who I was). I was expecting to meet him again, but that never happened. For some reason, I’m always busy on the days when I learn he has an event in his gallery in town.
Hmm… looks like my memory of what happened before was wrong. I should have checked into it more, but remember I was writing all of these as fast as I could and trying to complete it. Mistakes are inevitable and I’ll work on fixing it in the future. Just no time at all now, but thanks for the heads up.
Really interesting info on what happens there now. I really like the artwork and it would be nice if it was around forever. I’m a little torn as I do like them to change the exhibits every 3 years, but this one was very interesting too.
Hope you meet him again and he is more welcoming to talking. Then again, with age he probably just doesn’t care too much and wants to do what makes him happy. Fair enough, no? Sounds like he has a lot of good happening with him returning to Takamatsu.
No worries that you’re misremembering things. I would too if I wasn’t on site regularly (and even, I do misremember stuff too at times 😉 )
I really like this artwork, but I miss the fact that the gallery doesn’t have long term exhibits and workshops anymore.
And yes, when I met Kawashima, that’s the feeling I had; he’s old, he’s finally back in his hometown to spend his last years here, he’ll care about what he’ll want to care about and won’t care about the rest. That’s why I didn’t press him for an interview or anything and let him play with my son instead.