Inspirations | Japan | Travel | Artists, Designers
I dedicated my last post to Katsuo Katase’s sculpture "Drink a cup of Tea 1987/1994" on Naoshima Island (直島). But why had I visited this far-away island?
Since ancient times Naoshima was a small but prosperous salt trade hub in the Seto-Sea. Since the 1990s it developed to be one of Japans hotspots for fans of Modern Art. The Japanese top architect Tadao Ando (安藤忠雄) designed two spectacular museums on the island; one was built solely to accommodate six of Monet's water lily paintings (Chichu Art Museum (地中美術館), 2004). The museum’s breathtaking architecture alone is worth the long journey - and I will talk about it in the upcoming blog post.
For the 'Art House Project' in the old fishing village Honmura (本村), void traditional Japanese houses were bought and restored, rescuing them from decay. They now host exhibitions as installations, light art and collages. One of the most recognized installations is "Backside of the Moon", a cooperation between the American LandArt artist James Turrell and the architect Tadao Ando.
I am under the impression that on Naoshima the old and new elements are combined naturally, effortlessly; the visitor can feel the artist’s respect for the old, existing, naturally grown parts of the island.
Whenever I begin work on a new Exterior Design project I start looking at the space surrounding the garden. By allowing the site's atmosphere to fill my senses, I get in touch with what is called the ‘genius loci’ - the spirit of place. If the principle of considering the ‘genius loci’ is respected, the final garden design will be a truly unique creation. It will be in context with the place's history, its setting and the people for whom it is designed.
Also reflected in the idea of the ‘genius loci’ is the use of traditional locally sourced materials which tend to blend in effortlessly with the surrounding area. The above picture shows that even contemporary architectural styles can be enhanced by using traditionally crafted elements. This natural dry stone wall, built using egg-sized cobbles, is surprisingly reminiscent of art works by Land Art artists Andy Goldsworthy or Richard Long and would benefit a lot of contemporary exterior designs.
In my next blog post, I am looking forward to introduce you to the breathtaking architecture of Tadao Ando's museums on Naoshima Island.
1) Benesse Art Side Naoshima http://benesse-artsite.jp/en
2) Ando Tadao http://bit.ly/e96ihR
3) James Turrell http://bit.ly/4bqfha
4) Andy Goldworthy http://bit.ly/p2250
5) Richard Long http://bit.ly/h0OSHI
6) LandArt http://bit.ly/d1h51u
Naoshima Island and the Bennesse Art Site
My favourite places in the world - places, where I can find inspiration for New Cosmopolitan Exterior Design
I dedicated my last post to Katsuo Katase’s sculpture "Drink a cup of Tea 1987/1994" on Naoshima Island (直島). But why had I visited this far-away island?Since ancient times Naoshima was a small but prosperous salt trade hub in the Seto-Sea. Since the 1990s it developed to be one of Japans hotspots for fans of Modern Art. The Japanese top architect Tadao Ando (安藤忠雄) designed two spectacular museums on the island; one was built solely to accommodate six of Monet's water lily paintings (Chichu Art Museum (地中美術館), 2004). The museum’s breathtaking architecture alone is worth the long journey - and I will talk about it in the upcoming blog post.
For the 'Art House Project' in the old fishing village Honmura (本村), void traditional Japanese houses were bought and restored, rescuing them from decay. They now host exhibitions as installations, light art and collages. One of the most recognized installations is "Backside of the Moon", a cooperation between the American LandArt artist James Turrell and the architect Tadao Ando.
I am under the impression that on Naoshima the old and new elements are combined naturally, effortlessly; the visitor can feel the artist’s respect for the old, existing, naturally grown parts of the island.
Whenever I begin work on a new Exterior Design project I start looking at the space surrounding the garden. By allowing the site's atmosphere to fill my senses, I get in touch with what is called the ‘genius loci’ - the spirit of place. If the principle of considering the ‘genius loci’ is respected, the final garden design will be a truly unique creation. It will be in context with the place's history, its setting and the people for whom it is designed.
Also reflected in the idea of the ‘genius loci’ is the use of traditional locally sourced materials which tend to blend in effortlessly with the surrounding area. The above picture shows that even contemporary architectural styles can be enhanced by using traditionally crafted elements. This natural dry stone wall, built using egg-sized cobbles, is surprisingly reminiscent of art works by Land Art artists Andy Goldsworthy or Richard Long and would benefit a lot of contemporary exterior designs.
In my next blog post, I am looking forward to introduce you to the breathtaking architecture of Tadao Ando's museums on Naoshima Island.
1) Benesse Art Side Naoshima http://benesse-artsite.jp/en
2) Ando Tadao http://bit.ly/e96ihR
3) James Turrell http://bit.ly/4bqfha
4) Andy Goldworthy http://bit.ly/p2250
5) Richard Long http://bit.ly/h0OSHI
6) LandArt http://bit.ly/d1h51u
Inspirations | Japan | Travel | Garden Design | Artists, Designers
My travels through Japan took me places I fell in love with - landscapes of outstanding beauty, compositions by nature, which I found hard to grasp.
Without a doubt, one of those places is Naoshima (直島), a little island north of Shikoku (四国), one of Japans four main islands. Whenever I think of Naoshima, this image is the first thing that springs to mind. The island's contrasts - rough mountains, prickly conifers, yellow soil and a blue blue sea - are captured in this photograph so intensely. Especially the dialogue between roughness and smoothness had a strong impact on me.
Sculptures like the one by Kazuo Katase (片瀬和夫) can be found all over Naoshima, often just a few steps off the mountain paths. Clearly, 'Drink a cup of tea 1987/1994' is man-made and of abstract nature, however it sits in the environment as if it has always been there. The well (1.5x2x2m) has been built with natural stone found on site. The bowl is made of blue anodized aluminium. This piece of art repeats and reflects Naoshima's leitmotiv, nature's warm/cool rough/smooth contrast. The bowl is carefully balanced on the well's edge. Also impressive - the contrast of forms and mass/void: massive, rectangular stone walls of 500mm thickness and a thin walled semicircular metall bowl.
So, I stopped on the roadside, totally stunned by the tension between both elements, that fragile balance... I drew closer, reached out carefully and was surprised to discover: when touched, the bowl moves slowly from side to side.
In my next post: Read more on Naoshima, my discoveries and how I use these experiences to create new garden and exterior designs.
-----
1) Naoshima on Google Maps http://bit.ly/hgrE5s
2) Kazuo Katase http://bit.ly/f7wZsU
My favourite places in the world - places, where I can find inspiration for New Cosmopolitan Exterior Design
Naoshima - Kazuo Katase - Drink a Cup of Tea, 1987/1994
My travels through Japan took me places I fell in love with - landscapes of outstanding beauty, compositions by nature, which I found hard to grasp.Without a doubt, one of those places is Naoshima (直島), a little island north of Shikoku (四国), one of Japans four main islands. Whenever I think of Naoshima, this image is the first thing that springs to mind. The island's contrasts - rough mountains, prickly conifers, yellow soil and a blue blue sea - are captured in this photograph so intensely. Especially the dialogue between roughness and smoothness had a strong impact on me.
Sculptures like the one by Kazuo Katase (片瀬和夫) can be found all over Naoshima, often just a few steps off the mountain paths. Clearly, 'Drink a cup of tea 1987/1994' is man-made and of abstract nature, however it sits in the environment as if it has always been there. The well (1.5x2x2m) has been built with natural stone found on site. The bowl is made of blue anodized aluminium. This piece of art repeats and reflects Naoshima's leitmotiv, nature's warm/cool rough/smooth contrast. The bowl is carefully balanced on the well's edge. Also impressive - the contrast of forms and mass/void: massive, rectangular stone walls of 500mm thickness and a thin walled semicircular metall bowl.
So, I stopped on the roadside, totally stunned by the tension between both elements, that fragile balance... I drew closer, reached out carefully and was surprised to discover: when touched, the bowl moves slowly from side to side.
In my next post: Read more on Naoshima, my discoveries and how I use these experiences to create new garden and exterior designs.
-----
1) Naoshima on Google Maps http://bit.ly/hgrE5s
2) Kazuo Katase http://bit.ly/f7wZsU
