Sunday 20 July 2014

Hakone Open Air Museum

She lies fallen in a pool, eyes closed as if dreaming of some utopia, as the tendrils  of ivy wrap around her head; a misshapen and ginormous woman, clutching her handbag and dressed by Daiso watches over a fallen comrade who lies legs akimbo as if they have surrended to the effects of an all night karaoke session. Warrior women gather in the central courtyard as a crescendo of sound generates from the jenka like wooden forest and giant carp stare upwards in expectation of a feed.  Near by a tower ascends to the sun emperor and whose interior resembles a kaleidoscope that dazzles and memorises.   At the top of the tower  a viewing platform provides the observer with a panorama of Picasso Pavilion and fields of artifacts.

Welcome to Hakone Open Air Museum a place where art meets nature.  Opened in 1969 it provides a permanent home for approximately 120 works from well known contemporary artists which stretches over 70,000 metres and blurs the lines between the elements and art.  There are no walls or protective glass, instead manicured gardens, forest and natural springs form the setting.  In fact, the setting itself becomes part of the magic and where else can you bathe your weary feet in an art work known as 'hot foot' surrounded by floating citrus and soak in your surroundings?

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