Open Call Project
“Artist in Residence to Overcome the Crisis of Amami”
To avoid the destruction of the natural environment and the dilution of cultural heritage caused by the construction of high-rise hotels on Amami Oshima, we established the "Artist in Residence to Overcome the Crisis of Amami" on June 16, 2025, aiming to solve these issues through cultural and artistic activities.
To widely inform people around the world about the unique environmental culture and natural environment of Amami Oshima, we will invite artists from around the globe to Amami Oshima and develop a project to present the art works created during their stay both domestically and internationally.
We would be grateful if artists who agree with our mission could participate.
Amami Oshima and the Crisis
Amami Oshima was registered as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site in 2021 and is an island with diverse and beautiful nature, often referred to as the "Galapagos of Asia."
Since ancient times, songs, dances, and shamanism have thrived, and people have lived supporting each other. The people of Amami have found divinity in everything, from gods and ancestors to the sea, mountains, plants and animals, habu snakes, the mythical creature Kenmun, typhoons, and the ebb and flow of tides, offering prayers. This "environmental culture," nurtured through living in harmony with nature, is the very soul of Amami Oshima.
However, now, large developers are advancing resort development on Amami Oshima. Plans are underway to construct a high-rise hotel in the center of the small Ashitoku village, where about 140 households live quietly, and a 12-story hotel is planned in the Setsuda village, which houses the mountain Aman-de, where the creator god is said to have descended, and the Amamiko Shrine dedicated to that god. When we imagine the towering buildings rising amidst the tranquility and the landscape where myths breathe, we cannot avoid the question, "What do we want to protect, and what do we want to entrust to the future?"
The construction of high-rise hotels raises concerns about the following issues:
・Destruction of the landscape
・Deterioration of water quality in the sea due to sewage and its impact on marine life
・Environmental destruction and adverse effects on living organisms due to deforestation and mountain excavation
・Traffic congestion and accidents within the village
・Housing issues due to rising land prices (cases where young people, such as students who are away from the island, cannot return to live)
・Dilution of faith and culture (decline of nature worship and environmental culture)
“Purpose and Objectives of the “Artist in Residence to Overcome the Crisis of Amami” Project
To avoid the destruction of the natural environment and the dilution of cultural heritage, we believe it is important to widely inform the world about the environmental culture (the culture built over a long time by local people living in harmony with nature, respecting it, and cherishing its blessings) and the uniqueness of the natural environment of Amami Oshima. We believe this will lead to an understanding of the appropriate buildings and ways of living for Amami Oshima.
To promote understanding of the environmental culture and uniqueness of the natural environment of Amami Oshima, we believe it is effective for artists from around the world to directly experience the environmental culture of Amami Oshima and create and present art works that express and visualize these experiences.
Real estate developers plan developments under the radar, without residents' knowledge, and attempt to start construction before issues are raised. While there are methods such as enacting regulations to prevent such movements, we believe that regulation by law alone will not lead to fundamental solutions.
If people in the world and those who build buildings understand Amami Oshima's "environmental culture" and "uniqueness of the natural environment," the idea of wanting to build high-rise hotels will naturally disappear. We hope that through such autonomy, the nature and culture of Amami Oshima will be protected.
We will widely exhibit the art works created by artists at museums and commercial facilities in Amami Oshima, as well as at museums and local galleries of invited foreign artists, to broadly communicate the environmental culture of Amami Oshima along with local issues.
＜Recruitment Guidelines＞
▼Number of Artists to be Recruited
2 to 3 per year
▼Project Implementation Period (Stay Creation Period)
Every year from December to February
▼Duration of Stay for Artists
2 to 4 weeks
▼Recruitment Period
Ongoing
▼Support Provided to Participating Artists
・Free accommodation
・Full coverage of material costs for works donated to Ryukyu Villa
・Guided tours of major spots in Amami Oshima, cultural training
・Planning, setup, and operation of art exhibitions for presenting results at museums and commercial facilities ※This does not guarantee the implementation of art exhibitions.
・Planning, setup, and operation of exchange events with local residents ※This does not guarantee the implementation of exchange events.
・Sales of art works and related products through crowdfunding (we will share the proceeds) ※This does not guarantee the implementation of crowdfunding.
※The following costs will be borne by the artists.
・Travel expenses
・Transportation costs within the island
・Food expenses
・Material costs for works (excluding works donated to Ryukyu Villa)
▼Requests to Participating Artists
We ask that you donate at least one art work created at our facility for display at our facility.
▼Application Requirements
・Ability to engage in creating works with an understanding and agreement of the purpose and objectives of this program.
・Creation of site-specific works that express the culture and environment of Amami Oshima.
・Active engagement in exchanges with local residents and collaborating domestic artists.
・If there are collaborating artists, active engagement in exchanges with them.
※Participation in this program requires a screening process, and only those who pass the screening can participate in the program.