Point 1｜Welcome to "Media Art”
Sapporo International Art Festival (SIAF) is a triennial art event to encounter defining artworks in the world. Until now, the festival has showcased not just paintings and sculptures, but also pieces that incorporate new technology, such as installations with programming that produces changing lights and sounds. This type of work goes by the name of "media art.” Stem by Stem actually has a computer inside that interacts with your movements, changing its lights and blinking accordingly. We will introduce more of this new art form in the next edition of SIAF.
Point 2｜Stem by Stem Experiences the Winter Outdoors
The glowing Stem by Stem is actually on an important mission to bring installations with different elements to next year’s festival. It was created by a team called ENESS based in Australia. It is rare for even an international group of artists to set up their work in such a cold environment. Will the piece be able to brave the cold? Stem by Stem came all this way as a trial for the possibility of an outdoor winter installation next year.
Point 3｜Enjoy the Installation with a Guide!
“What actually is this? What’s going on? How does it work?” On weekends during Smile Rink Sapporo, our guides will explain the artwork and answer whatever questions you may have. We hope to take you one step beyond “Ooh, pretty!” Please do join us for this guide program. We will also be offering a variety of programs that will help you to enjoy the artwork at next year’s art festival.
*Please note that the guide program is conducted only in Japanese.
Dates: Feb 4 (Sat); Feb 5 (Sun); Feb 11 (Sat); Feb 12 (Sun)
15-minute guide talks start at (1) 15:30 (2) 17:30 (3) 19:00 *Subject to change.
About Sapporo International Art Festival
Sapporo International Art Festival (SIAF) was launched in 2014 and the second edition was held in 2017. The third edition SIAF2020 was cancelled, however upon cancellation, we launched the special program “SIAF2020 Plans and Ideas” that ran during the original festival dates to share through the various media the detailed plans developed for SIAF2020. The final outcome of the program, the documentation book, was published in March.
The next edition, SIAF2024, is scheduled for January 20–February 25, 2024, with the Director OGAWA Hideaki (Co-Director of Ars Electronica Futurelab/Artist). The theme of SIAF2024 is “LAST SNOW”.
About Sapporo International Art Festival (SIAF) 2024
In SIAF2024, we will capture the constant crises such as the global pandemic and the military conflict, and we will think about the future through art, which is organically intertwined with science and technology.
Director: OGAWA Hideaki (Co-Director of Ars Electronica Futurelab/Artist)
Theme: LAST SNOW
Sub-theme: はじまりの雪 (Japanese), Where the Future Begins (English), Upaste (Ainu)
Dates: Saturday, January 20 – Sunday, February 25, 2024