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Famous for its powdery white snow and ultra-luxe ski chalets, Niseko is normally considered to be a wintertime destination for avid skiers and snowboarders. Rather than being a seasonal destination, however, this Hokkaido town has a lot to offer in its greener months, especially with a new art installation set to open this summer by English-Australian artist Bruce Munro. The artist is well-known for his expansive site-specific light installations, as seen in his ‘Field of Light’ sculptures which are installed in places around the world including Paso Robles, California as well as Uluru, Australia.
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Opening at the Hanazono Niseko Resort, this work – titled ‘Mountain Lights’ – will be Munro’s first installation in Japan. The installation is inspired by shared human experiences and the metaphorical fire ignited by the warmth of interpersonal relationships.
This core concept, Munro notes, is one that many indigenous communities around the world can relate to, including the Ainus, who are the original people of Hokkaido. Stretching across 1.3km, the breathtaking installation will feature a staggering 180,000 points of light made to resemble the region’s fireflies.
Though it's possible to walk along the immersive installation, the installation is especially mesmerising when viewed from Hanazono’s new 10-person gondola, which runs above the installation. The artwork will be available during the summer and autumn of 2022, 2023 and 2024.
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