Appendix : Art Setouchi 2022 01.Send-off (Japan)

2022-11-14

As for Art Setouchi, I will introduce right on another post, but, as an appendix in this blog, I post my report of the 5th festival in 2022.

See the send-off event on Honjima island. The islanders were holding up papers with letters of "Thank you" towards the passengers on the large ferry bound for Marugame, which departed at 17:00.

驚きが、人口200人、本島のお見送り。17時発の丸亀行の大型フェリーの出航の20分前から、30人近い人が、埠頭で手旗信号の「ありがとう」のパフォーマンス。駐在の警察官まで一緒。10人以上の島民が、マイクを持って、代わる代わる船に向かって感謝の挨拶で、甲板の乗客からは、拍手と「ありがとう」の声援。さらに、紙テープまで。ここまでされたら、客は本島に惚れてしまう。次回の芸術祭では、本島がお見送りの到達目標になりそう。

ただし、僕が、17時30分発の児島行きの小さな高速艇に乗ると、乗客が40人のせいか、それとも、岡山県に出る客には塩対応なのか、お見送りの人が半分で、ちょっと残念。

Go to Art Setouchi 2022 in its 5th and twelve year since its 1st. It was a travel to see the change of the region by the art festival.

What touched my heart was send-off events in the islands. Unlike other art festivals that visitors go around by car, they use a public ferry and the entrance is always a port in Art Setouchi. That enabled a send-off event. Islanders and volunteers waved flags and shouted thanks towards the ship. I witnessed the moment when the small thoughts of each person were becoming a big wave. The art festivals awaked the isolated islands.

I participated in the send-off event on Ibukijima island, where there is "House of Toilet" that I designed as one of artworks, and I received the send-off. Towards the selfless thoughts of the islanders running at all speed on the embankment, I replied "Thank you very much." At the port in Takamatsu as the prefecture capital, a prefectural staff sent visitors off, shouting "Have a good day" early in the morning.

Surprise was a send-off event in Honjima island, with a population of 200. Twenty minutes before the departure of the large ferry bound for Marugame at 5:00 p.m., nearly 30 people performed a flag-signal "thank you" at the wharf. It's amazing that even the resident police officers do it together. More than 10 islanders held microphones and alternately expressed gratitude. The visitors must have fell in love with Honjima island. At Art Setouchi 2025, Honjima island must be the attainment target of the send-off.