ART BASE MOMOSHIMA is an art project that expands Yanagi’s lifework on the remote islands of the Seto Inland Sea, which began with his encounter with Inujima in 1995. Set on Momoshima, an island located between Onomichi and Tomonoura, the project repurposes the former Momoshima Junior High School, which closed in 1999 due to depopulation and aging demographics, transforming it into an art center that serves as a hub for creative exploration. Conceived as a “serious playground for artists and collaborators, where art is not a means but the very end,” the project envisions the entire island as a living canvas, reviving abandoned houses scattered across the landscape. By integrating regional resources with art, it seeks to forge new possibilities for the island’s future.
Looking beyond the island, the project explores an art cruise centered on Onomichi Waterway, historically a vital maritime hub. It directs large-scale exhibitions utilizing the spacious prefectural warehouses along Onomichi’s waterfront and transforms vacant buildings in Onomichi’s urban area into gallery spaces. It also contributes to the restoration of Onomichi’s historic “Saen” (villa architecture) on its famous hillside slopes, reinforcing the connection between art, history, and the region’s maritime legacy.