By Cathy Hirano

The Gentle Art Project*

Oshima is a small, scenic island with a population of about 100 people. Located 25 minutes by boat from Takamatsu along the northeast shore, it is still within the city limits. It is also one of the seven islands included in the Setouchi International Art Festival (July 19 – October 31). The art project in process is tailored to the island’s unique history.


　In 1909, Oshima became a sanatorium for people suffering from Hansen’s disease (leprosy). Leprosy prevention laws in Japan from 1907 onwards required that people with Hansen’s disease be completely segregated from society. Due to social stigma and discrimination, patients remained incarcerated for life in isolated colonies such as the one on Oshima. Although advances in medicine made it possible to eliminate the disease by the mid-1980s, the law in Japan on forced quarantine was only repealed in 1996. Oshima’s facilities now provide treatment as well as educational activities to increase public awareness of the disease. Island residents are all former patients who have been cured but who need care due to advanced age and the residual effects of the disease.





　The Oshima Gentle Art Project* is a collaborative effort between artists and residents and it is being implemented by graduates of Nagoya Zokei University of Art and Design under the direction of artist Nobuyuki Takahashi. Core team members have been visiting Oshima for the last two and a half years, getting to know the islanders and working with them to prepare for the festival. An old dormitory has been transformed into an art gallery to display photography, paintings, bonsai and other art forms on the theme “Pine”. In addition to artwork, residents have also contributed objects representing their daily life in the sanatorium, for example, rice ration tins and artificial limbs, and these are being incorporated into an innovative display.








　The project includes a café that will serve sweets and drinks made with vegetables, fruits and flowers grown on the island. Even the dishes are artworks, made of island clay by volunteers under the direction of an island potter. Teams of volunteers have been commuting regularly to clean and decorate the café and to harvest, boil and freeze quantities of fresh mugwort. The latter will be used to make an old Oshima specialty – mugwort pound cake. The café will be open throughout the festival.


　One of the Art Festival’s aims is to bring new life into the islands and the following comments from the islanders suggest that this project is succeeding:

“It makes me so happy to hear cheerful young voices on the island.”
“This is the first time anything like this has happened here. I’m so excited!”



Access:
By boat 3 times a day leaving from Dai-ni Ukisanbashi (2nd floating pier) at Takamatsu Port. Departure times are 9:10, 11:00 and 13:55. Return times are 10:30, 13:25 and 16:15. No fare is charged but you do need to get a ticket. Tickets are available at the International Art Festival Office located on the first floor of the Takamatsu Port Terminal Building (across the street from the ANA Clement Hotel on the west side). Please check the festival site as well for any further updates on this information during the festival. http://setouchi-artfest.jp/en/about/




* Gentle Art Project (Yasashii Bijutsu Project):
This term was coined by Nagoya Zokei University and is not limited to the project in Oshima. It refers to art projects in which the hospital, artists and designers collaborate to create a medical environment that promotes peace of mind and a medical facility that is open to the community. The university’s students and graduates are implementing such projects in other locations as well. See: http://setouchi-artfest.jp/en/artist/yasashii_bijutsu_project/


Credits:
Many thanks to the Koebitai volunteer corps for providing detailed information via their newsletter and blog. (For those of you who read Japanese, refer to Koebitai blog http://www.koebi.jp/blog/index.html )