Interview with Utagawa of the Kurashiki City Tourism Division, organizer of “Art Stroll Kurashiki”
We interviewed Utagawa Kazuki, of the Kurashiki Tourism Division, which organized this project.
How Art Stroll Kurashiki came about
How did this project come to be held?
Utagawa (name only)
It began with the Setouchi Triennale in 2019.
Kurashiki City is home to cultural and artistic facilities, including the Ohara Museum of Art and Kurashiki City Art Museum, as well as Kurashiki University of Science and the Arts, where people can study art.
With a large-scale art festival being held in the Setouchi region, we wondered whether we could make use of these facilities to help more people learn about Kurashiki’s arts and culture.
“Art Stroll Kurashiki” began as a project that lets people enjoy Kurashiki’s culture from a tourism perspective.
New initiatives launched in 2023
This event has been held in previous years. Is there anything different from the event through 2022?
Utagawa
First, we added an element of puzzle-solving.
I think many people feel that art can be rather intimidating.
Also, since the number of participating spots increased in 2023, we wondered how we could encourage people to visit multiple locations.
So, by incorporating an educational element through puzzle-solving, we made it a way for people who don’t usually have opportunities to experience art to get involved.
Another first for 2023 was introducing sweets inspired by art.
The owners of the participating sweets shops said, “We’d love to display the artworks if we can.”
But I thought it would be difficult to make that happen, given the risks of moving the actual works.
So I spoke with the people at the Ohara Museum of Art, and they agreed to let us display reproductions of the artworks.
We actually borrowed the frames from Kurashiki City Art Museum as well.
I see how that came about. Did the shops choose the artworks to use as inspiration?
Utagawa
Yes. We asked them to choose from the paintings that the Ohara Museum of Art could lend us.
Some shops reflect the appearance of the artwork in their sweets, while others take inspiration from stories about the circumstances in which the work was created and recreate that concept in their sweets.
The people at the sweets shops have been very cooperative, and we’ve heard many say things like, “I love this work and have visited the gallery…”
They’ve been actively involved, wanting to help make the event a success through their sweets.
We hope you’ll “stroll in” to places you don’t usually get a chance to visit
The art spots are quite varied, ranging from museums to hotels.
Utagawa
Yes! Some spots are free, so I recommend starting with those.
I hope people will visit spots they don’t usually get a chance to go to.
For example, people don’t often go inside a hotel unless they’re staying there.
You might wonder if it’s okay to go in when you’re not staying there, but it’s perfectly fine to pop in just to see the artwork.
Let Art Stroll Kurashiki be your chance to experience art
So, how would you like people to enjoy this event?
Utagawa
Of course, it’s for people who love art or sweets, but I also think it’s an event that can inspire people to visit an art spot for the first time.
I hope people visiting a spot for the second or third time will also enjoy discovering something new that they hadn’t noticed before.
There are actually many places in Kurashiki where you can enjoy art besides the participating art spots.
For example, in the Mizushima area, where some of the sweets spots are located, you can enjoy eight public artworks along the Mizushima Rinkai Railway line (the Green and Water Art Tour).
I hope you’ll enjoy exploring the spots.
From the Writer
Through my interview with Utagawa of the Kurashiki City Tourism Division, I could feel the desire behind “Art Stroll Kurashiki” to help more people learn about Kurashiki’s arts and culture.
I myself have visited the Ohara Museum of Art many times.
However, I still feel nervous about visiting galleries and similar places, wondering whether it’s okay to go in when I don’t know much about art.
By making these places participating spots in projects such as the puzzle-solving activity, they feel much more welcoming and approachable, even for a first-time visitor.
Art Stroll Kurashiki is being held through November 30, 2023.
I hope this campaign will inspire you to enjoy an autumn of art in Kurashiki.
Art Stroll Kurashiki 2023 details
| Name | Art Stroll Kurashiki 2023 |
|---|---|
| Dates | October 3, 2023–November 30, 2023 |
| Locations | Kurashiki, Kojima, Mizushima, Tamashima, Mabi |
| Admission (tax included) | Varies according to facility admission fees |
| Website | Art Stroll Kurashiki 2023 |
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