Sense Island Japan

Sense Island is a site-specific exhibition and public art initiative set on Sarushima, an uninhabited island off the coast of Yokosuka, Japan. Developed within a former military site that has been reclaimed by nature, the project explores the intersection of art, science, ecology, and place through immersive public experiences.

Invited by curator Ryu Takahashi to join the curatorial team, Caroline Maxwell helped shape the exhibition's conceptual development and artist commissioning process. Working in collaboration with local historians, ecologists, community stakeholders, and international artists, the project sought to deepen public engagement with the island's ecological and cultural history.

The exhibition commissioned new site-responsive works that activated the landscape through sound, scent, light, touch, and spatial exploration, encouraging visitors to experience the island through heightened sensory awareness. Each installation responded to Sarushima's transformation from military outpost to ecological refuge, creating new connections between environmental stewardship, cultural memory, and contemporary art.

Maxwell worked closely with participating artists to develop and produce new commissions while supporting the broader curatorial vision of the project. Through interdisciplinary collaboration and place-based storytelling, Sense Island continues to serve as a platform for ecological reflection, sustainable exhibition practices, and public engagement with the natural world.

2019