Ryoji Ikeda at 180 Studios

Described as “a total sensory encounter that transforms vast datasets into an immersive audiovisual environment, exploring the intersection of art and physics on an unprecedented scale,” visitors lie beneath a huge LED ceiling while being enveloped by intense soundscapes.

Images above from: vinylfactory.com

Images above all from my iPhone

Reflections & learning

  • An incredibly immersive and intense 20 minute experience
  • Very relevant to the research I’ve been doing: space, void, geometric patterns, altering of perceptions… losing sense of self
  • An impressive film, the thing that grates me a little bit is that it’s digital. I’m not knocking the production at all—it’s more a personal preference—I’m just drawn to the analogue at this point in time. ie. nature over digital.
  • The elements of the film I enjoyed the most was the crazy intense graphics/sounds which contrasted at certain moments with a) complete silence or b) visually with void/emptiness. For example:
  • The pause in silence/stillness makes you appreciate the sound/visuals even more.
  • This section in the screenshot immediately above was actually the most intense. The subtle movement of the circular black space coupled with the crazy soundscape really created a perception of being dramatically sucked up into a “void”.
  • There’s lots here for me to drawn on as inspiration for my first experiments with plexiglas.