teamlab stages its largest immersive digital art exhibition in tokyo

teamlab stages its largest immersive digital art exhibition in tokyo

from now until the end of august, japanese collective teamlab presents its largest digital art exhibition to date. in tokyo, the 3000 square meter showcase is structured as a labyrinth of virtual experiences, where visitors engage in a sequence of immersive artworks. major pieces — both new and previously exhibited — are scaled up to larger-than-life proportions, inviting the audience into a kaleidoscopic and multi-sensory expanse of color and light. viewers can experience works like ‘wander through the crystal universe’ — the largest of its kind to date; ‘floating in the falling flowers’, held within an enormous dome space; and the infinitely stretching water artwork ‘drawing on the water surface created by the dance of koi and people — infinity’.

‘wander through the crystal universe’

realized in collaboration with dmm.com and fuji television, teamlab has collaboratively organized ‘dmm.planets art by teamlab’ within fuji television’s vast summer event ‘odaiba minna no yume tairiku‘. activating the senses, each respective artwork on display has been designed with its own distinct aroma — the smell of a forest, flowers, or the ‘universe’. specifically in ‘wander through the crystal universe’, the smell of the ‘universe’ was supervised by astronaut naoko yamazaki, and spreads throughout the entire artwork.

the aroma of the ‘universe’ was supervised by astronaut naoko yamazaki

for ‘wander through the crystal universe’, teamlab has installed a seemingly infinite number of LEDs within a three-dimensional space, creating a real-time, interactive, and dynamic artwork. visitors can enter and walk through the space, changing the hue and intensity of the lights as they pass through. the viewer becomes ‘the center of the universe’ — one with the light and body of the installation. additionally, the audience can affect the character of the space through their smartphones by choosing a desired element and swiping toward the installation to add their selection to the artwork.

a seemingly infinite number of LEDs are installed within a three-dimensional space

the lights create a real-time, interactive, and dynamic artwork

viewers can enter and walk through the space, changing the hue and intensity of the lights

the viewer becomes ‘the center of the universe’

in the new artwork ‘drawing on the water surface created by the dance of koi and people — infinity’ koi fish swim through an infinitely stretching pool. visitors can walk into the water, where they change the direction and movement of the koi. when the fish collide with the viewer, they morph into flowers and scatter through the space. the trajectory of the creatures is determined by the presence of people, which trace colorful lines on the surface of the water. the work is rendered in real time by a computer program, and is neither a pre-recorded animation nor on loop. the interaction between the viewer and the installation causes continuous change in the artwork — previous visual states can never be replicated, and will never reoccur.

‘drawing on the water surface created by the dance of koi and people — infinity’

koi fish swim through an infinitely stretching pool

visitors can walk into the water, where they change the direction and movement of the koi

when the fish collide with the viewer, they morph into flowers and scatter through the space

the trajectory of the creatures is determined by the presence of people

the work is rendered in real time by a computer program, and is neither a pre-recorded animation nor on loop

the interaction between the viewer and the installation causes continuous change in the artwork

previous visual states can never be replicated, and will never reoccur

for ‘floating in the falling universe of flowers’ a seasonal year of blooms emerge in an ever changing universe of petals that spread out into infinity within a domed space. viewers can use their smartphones to select butterflies and release them into the floral expanse. the interaction between the visitor and the installation causes an ever-changing cycle of birth and death where flowers are born, grow, bud, bloom, and — in time — wither and die.

a seasonal year of blooms emerge in an ever changing universe of petals