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  •  IWANE Ai 《The Opening》 2022

AOMORI GOKANArts Fest 2024

— Interweavers in Open Fields —

Saturday, April 13 to Sunday, September 1, 2024

ACCESS

TICKET

The AOMORI GOKAN Arts Fest 2024 will be held for the first time from Saturday, April 13 to Sunday, September 1, 2024. It is to focus five contemporary art museums and art centers in Aomori Prefecture: Aomori Museum of Art, Aomori Contemporary Art Centre, Aomori Public University, Hirosaki Museum of Contemporary Art, Hachinohe Art Museum, and Towada Art Center. The theme for 2024 is be " Interweavers in Open Fields. " Curators from each museum who have put down roots in the local area are collaborating on a program of art exhibitions, projects, and performances that showcase each museum's unique characteristics. This is a new type of art festival. It will also be an opportunity to discover Aomori ’ s many charms by experiencing the rich culture of each of the cities where museums are located, from landscapes and cuisine to architecture, with art as the starting point.

Interweavers in Open Fields

The term “open field” can conjure up different images for different people – an empty plot, for example, or a grassy plain. Aomori is home to five unique contemporary art venues that can be seen as five unique “open fields,” each with its own possibilities and characteristics.An open field is not a place one goes to with a specific purpose, but rather a place that one finds oneself in, a place of encounters and occurrences, a borderland between the special and the everyday.
In these open fields, the daily discrete activities of the humans, animals and plants that come and go interweave with each other to help create the space itself. This shared theme was chosen based on the hope that these five museums and art centers will function just like “open fields,” that the unique activities of the various people who find themselves in these spaces will weave together to form new relationships. Here, through this first-ever joint program between our five “open fields,” we hope to create landscapes that have never been seen before.

Aomori Museum of Art

Architect : AOKI Jun

The building's unique architecture was inspired by the excavations at the adjacent Sannai Maruyama Special Historical Site and consists of trenches and a white cube. In addition to Chagall's backdrops for the ballet Aleko, works by local artists such as NARA Yoshitomo, MUNAKATA Shiko, and NARITA Tohl are on display. The museum showcases art’s wide appeal through projects that intertwine their varied collection of many styles of art, including Japanese, Western, and modern, with stage and musical performances.

Address

185 Chikano, Yasuda, Aomori-shi, Aomori 038-0021

Opening hours

9:30–17:00 (Last admission at 16:30)

Closed

The 2nd and 4th Monday of every month (or the following day if Monday is a national holiday), May 14 (Tue), May 15 (Wed), June 25 (Tue) – July 5 (Fri)

https://www.aomori-museum.jp/en/

Aomori Contemporary Art Centre Aomori Public University

Architect : ANDO Tadao

The art centre is characterized by the `unseen architecture’ of its building nestled deep in the forest, taking advantage of the surrounding natural environment. It holds exhibitions, talks, and workshops focused on the artist in residence without being bound by genre. From spring to autumn, visitors can enjoy a walk through the forest and about 20 outdoor sculptures.

Address

152-6, Yamazaki, Goshizawa, Aomori-shi, Aomori 030-0134

Opening hours

9:00–19:00 *Exhibitions: 10:00–18:00

Closed

None

https://acac-aomori.jp/

Hirosaki Museum of Contemporary Art

Architect : TANE Tsuyoshi

The museum is housed in a red brick warehouse which was built about 100 years ago as a sake brewery, and recently renovated into a museum in 2020. Based on the concept of `continuation of memories’, as much as possible of the original building was preserved. By placing importance on commissioned works rooted in the museum’s architecture and local community, the museum creates an art collection unique to the history and culture of Hirosaki, featuring works by artists such as NARA Yoshitomo and Jean-Michel OTHONIEL. The museum holds exhibitions of contemporary art which take advantage of the special characteristics of the space, such as the black coal tar exhibition walls and high-ceiling.

Address

2-1 Yoshino-cho, Hirosaki-shi, Aomori 036-8188

Opening hours

9:00–17:00 (Last admission at 16:30)

Closed

Tuesdays (or the following day if Tuesday is a national holiday)
*Open April 23 (Tue), April 30 (Tue), and August 6 (Tue)

https://www.hirosaki-moca.jp/en/

Hachinohe Art Museum

Architect : NISHIZAWA Tezzo ,ASACO Yoshihide , MORI Junpei

Exhibition rooms and other individual rooms with specialized functions are clustered around the vast Giant Room, which can accommodate a variety of activities. The museum’s theme is `Sowing Seeds, Nurturing People, and Creating the Hachinohe of 100 Years From Now : An Art Farm for Encounters and Learning’. The museum develops displays, including collection exhibitions covering a wide range of genres, and other projects which communicates the beauty and culture of Hachinohe from different perspectives.

Address

10-4 Bancho, Hachinohe-shi, Aomori 031-0031

Opening hours

10:00–19:00 (Last admission at 18:30)

Closed

Tuesdays (or the following day if Tuesday is a national holiday), June 26（Wed）
*Open April 30 (Tue) and August 13 (Tue)

https://hachinohe-art-museum.jp/visitor-en/

Towada Art Center

Architect : NISHIZAWA Ryue

The Art Center houses a permanent exhibition of works by international artists such as Yayoi Kusama, Yoshitomo Nara and Ron Mueck on the theme of `People and Nature’. By displaying a single work in each exhibition room, the Art Center allows visitors to feel as if they are stepping inside the artworks. The architecture is distinctive for its exhibition rooms of varying sizes linked by a glass corridor, which gives visitors the feeling of walking through a house of art. Visitors can enjoy art throughout the city, with artworks placed not only within the Art Center itself but also in nearby open spaces and shopping streets.

Address

10-9 Nishi-Nibancho, Towada-shi, Aomori 034-0082

Opening hours

9:00–17:00 (Last admission at 16:30)

Closed

Mondays (or the following day if Monday is a national holiday) ,
*Open April 22 (Mon), April 30 (Tue), May 6 (Mon), July 15 (Mon), July 29 (Mon), August 5 (Mon), August 13 (Tue), September 16 (Mon), September 23 (Mon), October 14 (Mon), and November 4 (Mon)

https://towadaartcenter.com/en/

Access

Aomori Museum of Art
Aomori Contemporary Art Centre Aomori Public University
[ Train ]
From Aomori Station ( JR Ou Main Line and Aoimori Railway)
  • Take a JR Bus or Aomori City Bus bound for Moya Hills (モヤヒルズ) or Aomori Public University (青森公立大学行) stops to the “Aomori Koritsu Daigaku Mae” (青森公立大学前) stop (approximately 40 minutes)
[ Plane ]
From Aomori Airport
  • Approximately 20 minutes by taxi
[ Car ]
from the Aomori Interchange ( Tohoku Expressway )
  • Approximately 20 minutes
  • (From Hachinohe) Approximately 20 minutes from Aomori-chuo Interchange on the Aomori Expressway
Hirosaki Museum of Contemporary Art
[ Train ]
From Shin-Aomori Station ( JR Hokkaido and Tohoku Shinkansen lines)
  • Get off at Hirosaki Station on the JR Ou Main Line (approximately 40 minutes)
  • Approximately 60 minutes by taxi
From Hirosaki Station ( JR Ou Main Line)
  • 20-minute walk or 7 minutes by taxi from Hirosaki Station
  • 4-minute walk from “Nakadote-machi” (中土手町) bus stop or a 2-minute walk from “Sumiyoshi Iriguchi” (住吉入口) bus stop on the Konan Bus
[ Plane ]
From Aomori Airport
  • Take the Konan Bus toward Hirosaki Bus Terminal to the “Hirosaki Ekimae” (弘前駅前) or the “Hirosaki Bus Terminal” (弘前バスターミナル) stop (approximately 55 minutes)
    *Directions from Hirosaki Station are the same as above.
  • Approximately 45 minutes by taxi
[ Car ]
From Owani-Hirosaki Interchange ( Tohoku Expressway)
  • Approximately 25 minutes via Route 7
Hachinohe Art Museum
[ Train ]
From Hachinohe Station (JR Tohoku Shinkansen)
  • Take the JR Hachinohe Line to Hon-Hachinohe Station (approximately 10 minutes) and walk 10 minutes
  • From the East Exit of Hachinohe Station, take a bus from Platform 1 for central Hachinohe (approximately 20 minutes) Get off at any of the Chushingai Taminaru stops such as the “Mikka-Machi” (三日町) stop or the “Yoka-Machi” (八日町) stop and walk 2 minutes
[ Plane ]
From Misawa Airport
  • Take the airport shuttle bus to the “Hachinohe Yoka-Machi” (八戸八日町) stop (approximately 55 minutes) and walk 2 minutes
[ Car ]
From the Hachinohe Interchange ( Hachinohe Expressway )
  • Approximately 15 minutes toward the city center
Towada Art Center
[ Train ]
From Shichinohe-Towada Station (JR Tohoku Shinkansen)
  • Take the Towada Kanko Dentetsu Bus from Shichinohe-Towada Station to the “Towada Art Center” (十和田市現代美術館) stop (approximately 35 minutes)
From Hachinohe Station (JR Tohoku Shinkansen)
  • Take the Towada Kanko Dentetsu Bus from Hachinohe Station East Exit to the “Kanchogaidori” (官庁街通) stop and walk 5 minutes (approximately 60 minutes)
  • Take the JR Oirase Bus from Hachinohe Station West Exit to the “Towada Art Center” (十和田市現代美術館前) stop (approximately 40 minutes)
From Misawa Station (Aomori Railway)
  • Take the Towada Kanko Dentetsu Bus to the “Kanchogaidori” (官庁街通) stop and walk 5 minutes (approximately 35 minutes)
[ Plane ]
From Misawa Airport
  • Approximately 40 minutes by taxi
From Aomori Airport
  • Approximately 90 minutes by taxi
[ Car ]
From Morioka
  • Tohoku Expressway → Hachinohe Expressway → Momoishi Road Shimoda-Momoishi Interchange to Route 45 → Route 102 (approximately 20 km)
    *The nearest interchange is not the Towada Interchange on the Tohoku Expressway.
From Akita
  • Akita Expressway Kitakami Junction → Tohoku Expressway → Same as the directions below from Morioka
  • Route 103 to Lake Towada → Route 102 to Oirase Keiryu → Towada City (approximately 45 km from Yasumiya, Lake Towada to the art center)
From Aomori City
  • Michinoku Toll Road → Route 4 → Towada City (approximately 60 km from Aomori Station to the art center)
  • Take Route 103 or Prefectural Route 40 over the Hakkoda mountains to Towada
From Hirosaki
  • Tohoku Expressway Aomori Higashi IC → Michinoku Toll Road → Route 4 → Towada City
  • Route 102 to Kuroishi → Route 394 to Jogakura Bridge → Sukayu Onsen → Route 103 to Towada

Details

Title

AOMORI GOKAN Arts Fest 2024

Theme

Interweavers in Open Fields

Period

April 13 to September 1, 2024

Venue

Aomori Museum of Art, Aomori Contemporary Art Center, Aomori Public University, Hirosaki Museum of Contemporary Art, Hachinohe Art Museum, Towada Art Center
*In addition, collaborative projects are planned throughout the prefecture

Organizers

AOMORI GOKAN Arts Fest 2024 Organising Committee
［Aomori Museum of Art, Aomori Contemporary Art Center, Aomori Public University, Hirosaki Museum of Contemporary Art, Hachinohe Art Museum, Towada Art Center, Aomori Prefectural Government, Aomori City Hall, Hirosaki City Hall, Hachinohe City Hall, Towada City Hall, Aomori Prefectural Organization for Tourism and Globalization］

Head of Organizing Committee

SUGIMOTO Yasuo, Director of Aomori Museum of Art

Curators

Aomori Museum of Art｜ IKEDA Toru , KUDO Takeshi , KANNO Aki , ITAKURA Yoko , TAKAHASHI Shigemi , OKUWAKI Takahiro
Aomori Contemporary Art Centre, Aomori Public University ｜KEINO Yuka
Hirosaki Museum of Contemporary Art｜KIMURA Eriko , SASAKI Yoko , MIYAMOTO Fumi
Hachinohe Art Museum｜ HIRAI Mari , Osawa Sonomi , TAKAHASHI Mai
Towada Art Center｜TOYAMA Aruma