Tadashi Kawamata, the Artistic Director of the Triennial, has envisioned an exhibition that continually moves and changes, showcasing art that is related to the passage of time, to people's lives, and to place rather than being a static object of contemplation. The function of art and the power of art are Kawamata's foremost concerns. Thus, instead of organizing the exhibition around issues of policy and economic benefits from "cultural tourism", Kawamata prefers "to give priority to a rationale that will allow the viewer or participant (the audience) to grasp the fundamental power of art, itself, to arouse the human spirit." He emphasizes the participation of viewers, collaborative works, site-specific interaction and the idea of the exhibition as a "work-in-progress".

The catalogue of Yokohama 2005 International Triennale consists of two volumes. The present volume includes mainly images of works. With foreword by the organizers, and artist biographies.