With just about 10 months to go before the 2017 Yokohama Triennale begins, organizers have announced the concept and key visuals to the show. 2017 will mark the 150th anniversary of Taisei Hokan, the formal restoration of political authority to the Emperor, and signaled the end of Japan’s isolationist policy, which eventually led to Yokohama being the first port to open up to the west. With that historical backdrop, the theme for next year’s show will be “Islands, Constellations and Galapagos.”
“Today, even as the global network broadly expands beyond the existing framework, the world is being rocked by conflicts and disputes, refugee and immigrant issues,” say the organizers. Indeed, despite a world more connected than ever, in many places we’re seeing a hunger for radicalism and ethno-nationalism.
The event’s key visual, inspired by the World Turtle depicted in Hindu mythology, sets the stage for a dialogue that reexamines the state of global connectivity and isolation from various angles. Designed by Eiji Muroichi from the creative lab PARTY, the cityscape of Yokohama rests on top of the Galapagos tortoise while incorporating the traditional hexagonal Japanese pattern of Kikkomon (literally, turtle shell crest).
Mark your calendars! The Yokohama Triennale 2017 will run from August 4 – November 5, 2017.
