LIFE - fluid, invisible, inaudible ...

The famous musician and composer Ryuichi Sakamoto and the artist Shiro Takatani are currently presenting the installation "LIFE - fluid, invisible, inaudible ..." at the Yamaguchi Center for Arts and Media.

The piece is set in a dark room, with 9 screens hanging form the ceiling. The screens are huge acrylic tanks (1.2m) with several centimeters of water covered with mist.

To enjoy the show, you lie down under one of the screens (cushions are provided). Above each screen is a projector, and you are treated to a show of images, movies and messages with sound.

The music goes from minimalist to piano and orchestra, in various styles somewhere from Sakamoto's own soundtrack to Love Is The Devil to his opera LIFE (see the connection?).

Infra-red sensors detect the presence of visitors so that several laptop computers can start or stop sound and images. The result is that, although all the projectors play the same piece, the screens are not on at the same time or do not show exactly the same image.


Official site (still under construction):
http://rsst.ycam.jp/e/

Sakura

Because it is still the season, more pictures of cherry blossoms...


The blossoms cross Japan from South to North, as shown on the pink map during the weather forecast. This year, warmer than usual, they are early everywhere. The trees in Hokkaido were covered with flowers before the middle of April.

(free game: spot the head hidden in this picture)

The entrance to the shrine in Tokiwa Koen:


Recent rains and strong winds, not to mention an earthquake in Mie, have caused most flowers to fall on the ground. Being ephemeral is part of the attraction of sakura.