Aichi Triennale 2025, the sixth in a series that began with Aichi Triennale 2010 , features  a diverse range of programs by sixty-two artists, including contemporary art, performing arts programs, and learning programs. Set in the Aichi Arts Center in the heart of Nagoya City, the Aichi Prefectural Ceramic Museum nestled in the lush hills of Seto City, and downtown Seto City, home to a ceramic history spanning a thousand years, these programs highlight the appeal of each location, referencing its abundant nature, local resources, and industrial history.

Adonis, a leading contemporary Syrian poet, witnessed the devastation of the Six-Day War of 1967, yet found hope beyond the destruction with themes of rebirth and renewal. "A Time Between Ashes and Roses," borrowed from the title of his volume of poems published in 1971, takes on even greater significance today amidst the horrific carnage and environmental destruction rampant around the world. The Triennale reexamines the serious issues that lie between humans and the environment, not from the anthropocentric perspectives of nation, territory, or ethnicity, but from a geological timeline. Rather than focusing on the extreme dichotomy of ashes (apocalypticism) or roses (optimism), it attempts to unravel the world through nuanced thinking in the space between.

As the first artistic director of the Aichi Triennale from outside Japan,  I have chosen to work with local curators and collaborators, and together we have invited artists from diverse backgrounds across twenty-two countries and regions. Some artists have responded to specific sites in Aichi, either through histories or physical aspects of the sites, while others bring stories from other parts of the globe. Through works being presented here we hope to shed light on injustices around the world and to learn from history. As we mark eighty years since the atrocities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, today we continue to witness violence, ongoing ethnic cleansing, and genocides. We must look to the past to understand our present. Together, through solidarity and our collective voices, perhaps we can also provide a better future for generations to come.

Finally, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the artists involved in these wonderful exhibitions and performances, as well as to everyone who provided support and cooperation in making the Triennale possible.

Hoor Al Qasimi
Artistic Director, Aichi Triennale 2025\