Brazilian-born Oscar Oiwa is an acclaimed Japanese artist who creates 360-degree artworks using a permanent marker. One of his more recent pieces, Oiwa Island 2, is a large-scale, immersive drawing which lines an inflatable vinyl dome currently on exhibit in an abandoned soy sauce warehouse at the Setouchi Triennale 2016 in Japan.
Like his previous project at the Setouchi Triennale 2013, visitors will be able to enter into the work of art and walk around the 12-metre wide circular space. Using just a black marker, Oiwa has created a black and white world featuring a three-dimensional island landscape with a mountainous backdrop, a dense forest and a seaside cabin. The door of the cabin is the point of entry for guests, which adds to the interactive experience of the artwork.
The Setouchi Triennale 2016, which opened on March 20, is a notable art festival that displays 68 artistic exhibitions across 12 islands in Japan’s Kagawa Prefecture. Oiwa’s Oiwa Island 2 is located on the on the island of Shodoshima but he also is exhibiting The room inside of the room on Ogijima island. The project is an upside-down, alcove-like space where floors become walls and walls become ceilings.
New York-based Oscar Oiwa has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the School of Architecture and Urbanism at São Paulo University. His work has been exhibited all over the world and his repertoire includes everything from texts, paintings, and art objects to narrative-based installations, conceptual works, public art, and book production.
