R
purely on simultaneously awakening the human perceptions of hearing and sight to the most natural occurrence in the world, ‘reproduction of nature’. Ladies and gentlemen, allow yourself to be exposed to the audio-visual phenomenon and a ‘synesthetic experience’. The Japanese artist, born in 1978 and currently living and working in Berlin, Germany, has been developing his work over 15 years to become an internationally
acclaimed and awarded multimedia artist. Kurokawa has adopted a variety of arrangements to inform the audiovisual phenomenon through concert pieces, screening
works, recordings and installations. His work has been
featured across the world including the Tate Modern and
Shanghai eARTS, and most recently the Southbank Centre in London for his performance of Syn_ in September ’13, as part of the Alpha-ville and BFI Sonic Cinema Series.
His success is due to his works pushing the boundaries of
modern art forms by using video images, audio recordings, graphics and animations to portray his main concern; the reproduction of nature. Kurokawa’s journey began with
simply the fascination to explore the opportunities created by digital art: When I had the chance to use a PC I had
little knowledge of digital creation, plus there wasn’t a
lot of information about. So I learned by experimentation and became hooked. I never had the intention of creating an art piece but I was fascinated with expanding the possibility of using digital creation as a tool. I soon got into this quest, beginning to create works in 1999. His first early set of works, Copynature set the meaning he would still strive to portray in his most current projects
today. It was a simple audio-visual piece, but at the time I didn’t regard it as a ‘project’ but rather just fun. It’s a series of short single channel videos with stereo sound
work. The title means to approach another dimension of nature by the ‘reproduction of nature’, which is still my main concern today. This perception of nature has meant that Kurokawa
hones in on developing original visual lines, where digital oscillating continuum
178 No Borders No Boundar ies
technology and environmental influence combine to create a form which pleases our senses of sight and hearing. The
result is an architectural reconstruction of the audiovisual Berlin, Germany ryoichikurokawa.com
Introducing the Audio-Visual Phenomenon
Ryoichi Kurokawa
Words by Samantha Coombes yoichi Kurokawa is a revolutionary. His works rely
visual integration and simultaneous stimulation to both receptors are the fundamental elements for my pieces. phenomenon: Nature and
dependent on the works,
physical phenomenon
but I always try to provide
constantly fascinate
pleasure and surprise
me in the process of
through the fundamental
constructing the idea for
ideas behind my creation
With a firm vision enthused
by nature, it’s not surprising
So how does Kurokawa go
about starting a new piece with so much technology
at his disposal and the task of combining video and
music? After conceiving
an idea and developing a format and audio-visual
that one of his main
behaviour in my head, I
who focus on the use of
don’t care if it’s feasible
composition: I like a lot of
right I begin a practical
influences is the work of
make a 3D model to the
sounds produced by raw
for freewheel thinking,
Musique Concrète artists
exact size. At this point I
material to create a musical
but when the time is
Musique Concrète artists.
process of audio-visual
a number of the human
Their compositions and
composition for that
senses: Sound has the
methods have influenced
piece. The software I use
ability to make up for
my work in audio and
varies depending on the
the domain that vision
video creation. I also
piece, from commercial
opportunities and meanings
cannot cover in other
take inspiration from
software such as Nuendo
expressive method of
or Max to an open source
Japanese animation as
like Cinder or Blender. I
technologies make it
capture the light within a
well as the sound designs
never cling onto one tool though, especially with technological instruments.
new works. Science and
which are ‘synesthetic
architecture are another
experience’ and
source. However, it varies
‘reproduction of nature’.
according to the presented
Music also plays a vital
direction or format of the piece. With the world of digital
technology expanding every day, this only opens up new for the sophisticated
role in his works by
oscillating continuum
simultaneously captivating
ways. For instance
‘I learned by experimentation and became hooked’
composer: Various new
visual senses can only
possible to stimulate
particular range of view,
and effects used in
our perceptions and find
whereas auditory senses
general film.
out new expressions of
can perceive sound from
creation. Meanings are
every direction. So audio-
180 No Borders No Boundar ies
Left to right: oscillating continuum 2013 Audiovisual sculpture / 2ch square display, 2ch sound Duration: 08:00 loop Dimensions: 924 x 800 x 422 ( mm ) Concept, direction, composition, programming, design: Ryoichi Kurokawa Production: Cimatics Coproduction: Scopitone
I prefer to take on different
successive equilibrium
ways more flexibly in
through keeping bias
accordance to the piece,
and inclination. I wanted
rather than fixating on the
to symbolically create
best tool.
equilibrium beautifully needed to translate it into
screening, installations
integrate it all within one
the form of a sculpture;
of displays and speakers
side with a crisp central
the balance being kept
on top of the sculpture. This
have led him to be featured
his works in a wide range
an audio-visual language
and sculptures. Oscillating
object. So I created a dual
two minimalistic diagonal
which wouldn’t be able to
line running seamlessly
between the two.
work brings Kurokawa’s
in a huge number of
of formats including
to express this, but also
Continuum which takes
white structure consisting
rectangles placed side by
stand up straight without
through the screens located
Kurokawa’s unique works
emphasis on detail to the fore, crafting intricate
graphical shapes combined with the visualisation
of the digital waveform to create explosions of
colour juxtaposing the calm hum of the sharp
lines that begin. This time
the equilibrium, which
as Kurokawa explains, is
personified by his design. Intrinsically, every
force and matter in our universe is oscillating
continually. We maintain
personal exploration of the
is Kurokawa’s most recent live performance as part of the Alpha-ville and
BFI Sonic Cinema Series.
Combining glitchy images
and graphical lines flashing
spectators through his
audio-visual phenomenon. His language method
uses masterfully the most advanced techniques in video and audio of the 21st Century to reflect
his fascination with the
and musical patterns
core of Kurokawa’s creative
Syn_ explores abstract
together with manipulated everyday imagery to
construct an irresistible
enigmatic ‘reproduction of
nature’ and thus become the mission. Although there
are various theories, we cognise more than 90%
sensory experience. I’m
of the world’s information
very pleased to present
through our audio-visual
my work in London since
senses. So you can imagine
exhibitions internationally Sonar Festival 2005 in
in 2010 was awarded the
it rather than find new
I’ve only played there a
how big simultaneous
including the National
few times. Syn_ is a newer
audio-visual stimulation
Film Theatre in 2005 and
version of ‘cm:av_c’: a
could impact us. I just hope
concert piece I did eight
that audio-visual art has
the Barcelona Museum of
years ago. I took the main
the possibility of creating
Contemporary Art, and
direction and concept from
beautiful surprise.
inspiration, so to provide a synesthetic experience in a very simple way. ‘Syn’ as a prefix means ‘together’, ‘with’ or ‘integrate’ in
‘I always try to provide pleasure and surprise through the fundamental ideas behind my creation’
Greek to make words such as ‘synthesis’ [differing perspectives], ‘synchronisation’ [occur simultaneously] and ‘syneathesia’ [sense in one modality]. So this work was directly aimed at stimulating the eyes and ears simultaneously. Kurokawa has created
around 16 different main
works in contrasted forms, 182 No Borders No Boundar ies
mind, eyes and ears of his
across a diptych of two
screens and 2.1ch sound,
universe, illustrated as a by the successful care of
Sound Art category. Syn_
Music and Sound and
nature is in the form of the wavering force controlled
with an aim to open the
Electronica in the Digital
and simply. So like usual I Kurokawa has produced
Golden Nica at Prix Ars
Left to right: syn_ 2011 Audiovisual concert. Diptych | 2.1ch sound Duration: 30'00" - 45'00" Concept, direction, composition, programming: Ryoichi Kurokawa Production: Cimatics Coproduction: Scopitone Support: Canon Europe/Images shot with Canon 7D