International collective teamLab first set out to achieve an upheaval in traditional art spaces within Tokyo back in 2018 through their 'Borderless' museum. Their goal was simple: to fundamentally change how modern art is experienced in all aspects.
Measuring success in "changing" art conventions is hard, but as far as metrics go, teamLab's project is commercially triumphant.
The venue saw over 2.3 million visitors in its first year of operation, which was the largest attendance for a single-artist or single-collective institution in the world at the time. However, in 2022, teamLab shuttered its Odaiba venue to redevelop it into something "better."
The international group of self-proclaimed "ultra technologists," comprised of multi-disciplinary artists with a background in engineering and tech, is announcing the reopening of their highly acclaimed 'Borderless' Museum in a new space in Tokyo's Azabudai Hills this coming Friday, Feb. 9.
Tokyo's 'Borderless' Museum: Transcending Traditional Art Spaces
Although the institution's utilization of technology as a medium of art is abundant, with its interconnected art pieces conjoined by projection graphics and interactively immersive light shows, the showrunners mainly explored the themes of abstractness and physicality in art.
Takashi Kudo, the group's Communications Director, told CNN that one of their core objectives is to "create a 'being' society, not a 'having' one," and to do so, they tapped in with the multiple stimuli that nature is capable of showcasing in a manner that also achieves "perfect harmony."
"That experience is what we want to create. But it's all about the process. That's what makes it art," he shared.
Such an approach is further exemplified by the museum's "mapless" system that saw its artworks distinguishable from each other while also being constantly connected, which is appropriate for its title of "Borderless."
In short, there is no preconceived route that would-be visitors are advised to "hop on," and being "lost" within the Tokyo art space is inevitable. The experience is akin to the Japanese art of bathing in the lush environment of forests, or the so-called "shinrin-yoku."
That said, the pieces are still technically separate from one another, including "Bubble Universe," with its "Physical Light," "Bubbles of Light," "Wobbling Light" and "Environmental Light;" "Flowers and People" featuring "Megalith Crystal Formation;" and "Black Waves" featuring "Megalith Crystal Formation."
The "Light Sculpture" series, in particular, is a sensory experience built around light and how it can be abstractly manipulated.
Such experiences within teamLab's "Borderless" Museum are perfectly encapsulated by the Japanese saying, "ichi-go ichi-e," which directly translates to: "for this time only." Indeed, its dynamic nature is worth experiencing, especially for this "fleeting" aspect.
For more information about the museum, visit teamLab's official website here.
