Nagoya: The Aichi Triennale, a prominent international art event in Japan, has commenced its sixth edition, opening to the public on 13 September 2025. Curated by Hoor Al Qasimi, President and Director of the Sharjah Art Foundation, this marks the first time a non-Japanese Artistic Director has taken the helm. The exhibition, titled “A Time Between Ashes and Roses,” derives its name from a verse by Syrian poet Adonis, a prominent figure in contemporary Arab literature.
According to Emirates News Agency, the exhibition offers a vision of the future through the lens of geological time, challenging the conventional national or territorial perspectives that often shape our understanding of the relationship between humanity and the environment. This year’s triennale features 60 artists and collectives from 22 countries and territories, whose works explore themes of cultural memory, material experimentation, and popular imagination.
The participating artists include Robert Andrew, who delves into suppressed family histories through installations; Priyageetha Dia, who combines Southeast Asian labor histories with speculative tropics and machine logics; and Simone Leigh, who introduces her renowned ceramic and bronze sculptures to a Japanese audience for the first time. Faustin Linyekula presents a performance that intertwines dance, storytelling, and cultural survival politics, while Afra Al Dhaheri draws upon her Abu Dhabi upbringing, integrating performance, video, and installation.
Prominent Emirati artists such as Mohammed Kazem, Maitha Abdalla, and Shaikha Al Mazrou contribute to the triennale with works that examine conceptual art, experimental mediums, and themes of identity and cultural heritage. Kamala Ibrahim Ishag, now based in the UAE, addresses migration and displacement, weaving narratives of her Sudanese heritage into her art.
Notable contributions include celebrated manga artist Morohoshi Daijiro’s newly commissioned illustration and Barrack (Furuhata Taiki + Kondo Kanako), who transforms the Aichi Prefectural Ceramic Museum into a space fostering local and international community exchange. Artist Sasaki Rui creates a site-specific installation in a recently closed public bathhouse in Seto City, reflecting on everyday life and the region’s connection to nature and ceramic traditions.
The opening ceremony featured Takeo Obayashi, Chairperson of the Aichi Triennale Organising Committee, and Hideaki Omura, Governor of Aichi Prefecture. Distinguished guests from the UAE included Sheikh Salem bin Khalid Al Qassimi, Minister of Culture; Sheikh Fahim Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Government Relations Department; and Sheikha Nawar bint Ahmed Al Qassimi, Vice President of the Sharjah Art Foundation.
The triennale, running until 30 November 2025, will host roundtable discussions and artist talks on 14 and 15 September 2025. Additionally, from 1 to 3 November 2025, the event will feature “Three Special Days for Experiencing the Vibe of Ceramic City of Seto,” alongside the Aichi Prefectural Ceramic Museum’s annual ceramics firing project.