The Dreaming of Things (Aleksandra Kovaleva & Kei Sato - Ibukijima 2022 & 2025)

It's interesting how the same piece of art can speak to you one moment and not at all the other. Almost a year ago, during the Setouchi Triennale 2025, I stumbled upon a small piece of art in Ibukijima's former elementary school that I loved. "Small" might not be the right adjective, as it occupied an entire room, but it was very simple and minimalist.Sea GardenAs you can see, it was just a diaphanous surface made of several layers of fishing nets covering the entire room, with a single tiny house in the background. It was tiny, but heavy enough to leave a dent in the surface.The installation was called Sea Garden and was designed by architectural designers Aleksandra Kovaleva and Kei Sato. I found myself enthralled by its simplicity and the surreal landscape it created. A landscape that was both contrasted with and completed by the sea outside the windows.Now, here is the thing: It wasn't a new artwork at all. While researching my archives and the Triennale's books for this post, I…