Art Basel’s 'Meet the collectors' series celebrates today's most inspiring patrons.

Art isn't confined to gallery walls for Hideaki Fukutake – it breathes with the landscape itself. As Chairman of Benesse Holdings and Director of the Fukutake Foundation, he has continued to transform Naoshima Island into an art haven – a journey begun by his father Soichiro Fukutake over four decades ago. Their vision has created a place where nature, architecture, and creativity coexist. Together, they share the belief that beauty can revitalize communities and inspire a deeper connection to the environment.

For Fukutake, art represents more than aesthetics. In this episode of 'Meet the Collectors,' he says, 'If you truly aspire to be a creator, you must continue learning and absorbing new experiences until the day you die. Chasing after things that simply seem “cool” is not real art. True artistic creation requires something deeper.' This philosophy has turned the island into a cultural destination in Japan's serene Seto Inland Sea.

In this episode, Fukutake guides us through Benesse Art Site Naoshima, including Hiroshi Sugimoto's stunning reimagining of an ancient Go'o Shrine, Lee Ufan's seaside portal to infinity, and spaces by luminaries Tadao Ando, Tatsuo Miyajima, and Shinro Ohtake.

The works on Naoshima can be seen year-round as part of the Benesse Art Site Naoshima. More information here. 

The Setouchi Triennale takes place from April 18–May 25, 2025 on islands across the Seto Inland Sea. More information here.