A Disillusioned Tour of Naoshima's Art Island Empire

A first-person account critiques the Benesse Art Site on Naoshima, Teshima, and neighboring Japanese islands, describing a system blending exclusivity, big business, and transnational market expansion. The author, a jaded critic, contrasts the experience with expectations of American land art, finding the hypermodern museums and sculpture parks—designed by Tadao Ando—too perfect. Works by Basquiat, Long, Nauman, Holzer, Kounellis, Sugimoto, and others are listed. The Fukutake Foundation, led by billionaire Soichiro Fukutake via Benesse Holdings, manages the site, which includes his private collection. The collection began from the premise that the Western era was ending and an Asian era beginning. The author notes the museum shop and ferry back to Uno, concluding the experience feels belated and overly curated.