Travel enthusiasts must be missing Japan a lot, right? Due to the pandemic, we don’t know when we can travel to Japan again. We may miss out on many seasonal beauty and delicious food, but the “teamLab Planets TOKYO” exhibition in Toyosu, Tokyo, originally scheduled to end this year, will be extended until the end of 2022. Additionally, a new outdoor light and shadow art installation will be introduced! Now, let’s add it to the “must-visit” travel list, so that after the pandemic, everyone can come and check it out!
The eagerly anticipated new art installation is called “Universe of Water Particles Falling from the Sky,” meaning a world of water particles falling from the sky. Just the name of the work is already full of grandeur! The “water” is composed of numerous “water particles,” and the continuous flow of water falling from the sky is like a waterfall extending from the sky. When people approach the waterfall, the flow of water changes, making the waterfall dynamic and lifelike, creating a striking artistic effect.
During the day, the visual effect of the waterfall is already very impressive, but at night, under the reflection of the lights, it’s a whole different feeling! Additionally, since “Universe of Water Particles Falling from the Sky” is located outdoors at the Tokyo Odaiba Exhibition Hall, you can enjoy this unique waterfall without purchasing a ticket!
“Drawing on the Water Surface” immerses people in a colorful and ever-changing water world. This work uses light and shadow to project constantly floating water reflections and swimming koi fish, creating an effect similar to watercolor painting. When the koi fish “collide” with people or other koi fish, they transform into flowers and then disperse. The flowers in the work also change with the seasons, blooming with the flowers of the current month, with sunflowers being the seasonal flower at the moment. One special feature is that this light and shadow work is not pre-recorded footage, but is presented in real-time based on computer programs. Through each interaction between people and the art installation, a unique light and shadow effect is created, unable to be replicated or reproduced.
In addition, “teamLab Planets TOKYO” also has many large-scale light and shadow art pieces, such as this three-dimensional space filled with floating spheres. When people push or tap these spheres, they will change color and emit special sounds, triggering a chain reaction that causes nearby spheres to also change color and make sounds. There are a total of 9 colors for the spheres, including light in water, sunlight penetrating water grass, morning glow, morning sky, evening sky, peach fruit, plum fruit, iris, and spring maple leaves. The space will continuously transition between blue, red, and green, providing a rich visual feast.
“Floating in the Falling Universe of Flowers” brings a world full of blooming flowers throughout the four seasons, allowing those within to reflect on life in this moment.
“The Infinite Crystal Universe” is created by accumulating light points, bringing an infinite expansion of light and shadow effects, just like a pointillism painting. Walking into this dreamy crystal universe, people can select creative elements through their mobile phones to create unexpected effects. I really hope to experience it in person after the epidemic is over!
Image source: teamLab
