Release date:Jul. 10, 2020

About future policy

NEWS：Information

We would like to inform you about the future policy of "Saitama Triennale 2020" as follows.

Due to the spread of the new coronavirus infection, the opening of "Saitama Triennale 2020" had been postponed for the time being, but the safety and security of citizens is the top priority, and the recovery of socio-economic activities was aimed at. Since it is necessary to prioritize efforts, it is judged that it will be difficult to hold the event at the initial scale, and we will not hold it as an event with a sense of festival based on the implementation plan formulated in July 2019. I decided.

In the future, many people have cooperated so far, and since the preparation of the work is almost completed, we will take measures based on the video distribution of the work and the “Guideline for prevention of new coronavirus infection spread in museum” We will consider and implement alternative measures such as opening the venue to the public.

In addition, since the preceding projects such as the "Sightama Art Center Project", "Art and Walk, Saitama", and the current collaborative project with the Saitama Prefectural Museum of Modern Art are being developed under the name of the art festival. We will continue to use the name of the Saitama Triennale 2020 when implementing alternative measures.

We will visit Saitama and consider making it possible for as many people as possible to appreciate the works of leading and emerging artists that were produced by facing Saitama.

Director's Message

Saitama Triennale 2020 is indeed an international art festival that was confronted with the devastating impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Preparations were completed in time for the opening day originally scheduled for March 14th, and all that was left was to look forward to the moment in which visitors could experience the various works and programs organized. Due to the spread of the COVID-19 infection however, the opening was postposed until further notice. I myself have been trying to think of ways to present this art festival that was suspended in spring, confirming the state of each venue from which people were now absent, and continuing to explore various possibilities. The works and projects of the artists participating in this art festival are all highly remarkable. With great emphasis on inviting many people including local citizens to get involved from the production stage, we had also planned a number of works that focused on communication, and would be established through the participation of visitors. As director, I was confidently working on the development of an art festival that centered on “civic participation and cooperation,” however as the situation regarding the coronavirus remains unsettled, and in response to Saitama City's policy of "making efforts to ensure the safety and security of citizens and recovering socio-economic activities a top priority," we had no choice but to defer the concept originally envisioned, as well as plans to present the festival in the scale we anticipated. This is highly unfortunate, and is a very heart-wrenching situation for us all. Despite these circumstances however, I still strongly wish to present the works and projects, which the artists have channeled great effort into creating, to local citizens and to many other visitors who had looked forward to them.

Our lives have been changed by the increasing spread of the coronavirus infection.
First of all, we must understand the situation at hand, and try to respond to these changes that confront us.
It is necessary to also make changes accordingly to this art festival, which takes place within a living city.
In addition to adapting to the “new normal,” it is important to think about how to organize and present an art festival, which in spite of the changes to our lives brought about by the pandemic, would continue to create an opportunity for citizens to enjoy arts and culture, and provide a place for artists to express themselves. Without putting our accumulated efforts on this occasion to waste, I hope to develop a new concept of the art festival, as well as new opportunities for viewing and engaging with artworks. Furthermore, amid the fact that this is an international art festival that found itself faced with the challenges of this on-going pandemic, I believe taking this moment to once again consider the nature of and means for communication, is something that also directly connects to the concept of an art festival that centers on “civic participation and cooperation.” While the decision was made to abandon an event with a festive atmosphere in which many people share the same content in the same place, we are now considering ways of presenting the works this fall, as well as gradual yet continued developments towards the future in order to deliver a rich art experience as intended, modifying some of the original plans we had envisioned. In order to live through these times without losing “joy,” we would like to continue pursuing optimal possibilities, and proceed towards realization.

The theme for Saitama Triennale 2020 is “flower.”
It not only considers flower as a motif, but as an overall theme.
I believe that the theme of “flower,” in the midst of the current challenges and hardships brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, will breathe new life into our lives here on forth.

Director TOYAMA Shoji

Plans to be implemented in the future

・Video distribution of works
・Exhibition of exhibited works such as main venues
・Continuation of "Sightama Art Center Project"
・Continuation of "citizen supporter Project"
・Collaboration with cultural facilities such as the Omiya Bonsai Museum and cultural art activities in the city

About ticket refund

We will inform you as soon as the details are decided.