Featured on 蘋果日報, Nov 19, 2015
【有片】【城市點滴】聖誕減碳 由燈飾做起
又到聖誕，燈飾、禮物紙加大餐，為營造驚喜快感而成為最虛耗地球資源的節日。但等到年尾，聖誕還是要慶祝吧？有見今年是聯合國「國際光之年」，K11邀請分別來自中、港、日三地藝術團體聯手舉辦光影藝術展覽，冀透過當代光的作品，鼓勵大眾轉用節能的LED照明產品，促進光學技術和環保的可持續發展，嘗試過一個「碳中和」（carbon neutral）的聖誕。（Excerpt from the text）
NEWS
Featured on WIRED, Nov 15, 2015
ALL AUS LED
60 000 LEDS, verteilt in einem Raum: Das Japanishe Kollektiv TeamLab lasst in seiner Instllation Crystal Universe im Tokioter Pola-Museum den Besuchern ziemlich viele Lichter aufgehen.（Excerpt from the text）
Featured on RETRIP, Nov 4, 2016
"チームラボブーム"は海外でも！台北でチームラボの巨大展覧会開催
"チームラボブーム"は海外でも！台北でチームラボの巨大展覧会開催2016年12月29日（木）～2017年4月9日（日）の期間中、台北でチームラボの巨大展覧会「teamLab: Dance! Art Exhibition & Learn! Future Park」が開催されることが決定しました。（Excerpt from the text）
Featured on NEWSONJAPAN.COM, 2015/11/1
Japan Pavilion takes top design prize at Milan expo
Featuring stunning computer-graphic images of Japan and elegant “washoku” (traditional Japanese cuisine), the Japan Pavilion captured the gold prize for best exhibition design at Expo Milan 2015 on Oct. 30.With the theme of “Harmonious Diversity,” the pavilion drew more than 2 million visitors during the expo, which was titled “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life.”The pavilion offered breathtaking CG images of farming villages in the four seasons of Japan, and enabled visitors to experience traditional Japanese dishes, as well as the time-honored techniques of how to cook them.The gold prize was presented by the International Exhibitions Bureau, which oversees the organization of international expos.
Featured on KYODO NEWS, 2015/10/31
Japan Pavilion awarded best exhibition prize at Milan expo
The Japan Pavilion received the gold prize for best exhibition Friday at Expo Milan 2015, on the eve of the six-month-long event’s final day.With a theme of “Harmonious Diversity,” the Japanese exhibit showcased the country’s traditional culinary culture, including foods cooked with fermentation methods, as well as its agricultural, forestry and fisheries technological know-how.The Japanese center also included interactive displays presenting potential solutions to global issues, such as how to achieve sustainable food supplies, at the world exposition held under the theme of “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life.”The pavilion was one of the most popular venues at the expo, with visitors needing to wait for up to 10 hours for entry on some days.The prizes, presented by the International Exhibitions Bureau, which oversees the organization of international expos, were awarded in three categories — architecture, exhibition design and theme — based on the size of pavilion.The Japanese facility was recognized for a harmonious combination of nature and technological innovation in the large-scale exhibitions category.Tatsuya Kato, the pavilion’s commissioner general who received the prize, said, “We had a sense of being well received by visitors.”Of around 140 participating countries and international organizations, more than 50 have set up their own pavilions to promote diverse gastronomical culture and address global challenges such as famine and food safety.==Kyodo
Featured on The Asahi Shimbun AJW, 2015/10/31
Japan Pavilion takes top design prize at Milan expo
MILAN–Featuring stunning computer-graphic images of Japan and elegant “washoku” (traditional Japanese cuisine), the Japan Pavilion captured the gold prize for best exhibition design at Expo Milan 2015 on Oct. 30.“This is the result of all of us coming together,” said Tatsuya Kato, the commissioner general of the Japan Pavilion. “Although we could only tell a part of our culinary culture through the exhibits, I hope people gained a sense of Japan’s contributions to the world.”With the theme of “Harmonious Diversity,” the pavilion drew more than 2 million visitors during the expo, which was titled “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life.”The pavilion offered breathtaking CG images of farming villages in the four seasons of Japan, and enabled visitors to experience traditional Japanese dishes, as well as the time-honored techniques of how to cook them.The gold prize was presented by the International Exhibitions Bureau, which oversees the organization of international expos.The Milan expo kicked off in May and concludes Oct. 31.By YUKIE YAMAO/ Correspondent
Featured on Expo Milano 2015, 2015/10/31
The BIE Day (Bureau International des Expositions): all the successes of Expo Milano 2015. Pavilions awarded prizes for architecture, contents and displays, and their developments of – and relevance to – the Expo Theme
An event where pride in Italian achievement was the order of the dayOn this occasion, the authorities looked back over all the phases – from the very first round table discussions to the conclusion of the entire Milan Universal Exposition experience, focusing on its successes and the goals it has achieved. “Over the arc of the six months of this Expo”, declared Pasquino, “the whirl of events which have taken place have highlighted Italy’s value and potentiality. An opportunity and a challenge which our nation has generated, despite initial criticism and pessimism, and which should not be easily forgotten.” “Milan does not represent a turning point”, concluded Bruno Antonio Pasquino, and Italy will not be transformed by Expo Milano 2015, but the varied and truly extraordinary successes it has achieved will make us forever proud to be Italian.” Ferdinand Nagy focused on the values of solidarity and cooperation which Expo Milano has done so much to promote… “One day before the end of the Expo, I’d like to take advantage of this moment to remind everyone about all the cooperation projects which have been presented here over the last six months. With the support of governments, the intervention programs have interwoven with multicultural actions and with the challenges expressed by the Theme of Expo Milano 2015, touching the hearts of everyone and transmitting a shared sentiment of solidarity.”A shared home at the center of EuropeThe speech delivered from the stage of the Expo Center by Giuseppe Sala constituted the heart of the entire ceremony: the Chief Commissioner shared items from his “personal diaries”, describing the preparatory phases and the most significant events which have contributed to the success of this Universal Exposition. “A shared home at the center of Europe”, Sala described Expo Milano 2015, “a reason to be proud, and to commit to the future, for the incredible number of people who visited the Expo site, including 62 Heads of State, over 260 Ministers and over 20 million visitors.” “We have seen the way that this community has grown”, continued Sala, “around the Theme “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life”, promoted and received by citizens from all over the world as a universal theme with which to energize the battle against hunger worldwide. This is perhaps the most important of all Expo Milano 2015’s legacies.” Vicente Gonzales Loscertales expressed agreement with Sala’s views, declaring that “the Milan Universal Exposition has transmitted to millions of citizens the enthusiasm and the values which have contributed to making this international stage a work-table around which solutions to the most important global issues have been discussed.” The official ceremonies for celebrating BIE Day concluded with the a performance from the stage of the Expo Centre by the musicians of the Academy of Santa Cecilia and other performances by artists from the countries that will be hosting the upcoming Expositions: Antalya in 2016, Astana in 2017 and Dubai in 2020.The awards for the best Pavilions of Expo Milano 2015At the end of the day, the Pavilions were divided into three groups according to size: under 2 thousand square meters, over 2 thousand square meters, and situated in Clusters. The prizes were announced and conferred in the presence of the BIE Secretary General and President, i.e. Vicente Loscertales and Ferdinand Nagy, with prizes for three categories: architecture and landscape, contents and display, and Theme development.Pavilions under 2 thousand square metersIn this section, for the architecture and landscape category the Gold Medal went to the United Kingdom, followed by Chile and the Czech Republic. For content and display, first prize for Austria – “for the audacity of the sensorial experience offered to visitors” – followed by Iran and then Estonia. In the Theme development category, Gold went to the Holy See, followed by the Principality of Monaco and Ireland.Pavilions over 2 thousand square metersIn this section, the best architecture and landscape category went to the French Pavilion, which the BIE praised for “the innovative concept of a covered food market and a lively and open landscape”, followed by Bahrein and China. The best display prize went to Japan, thanks to its “harmonious combination between the representation of nature and technological innovation”, followed by the Republic of Korea and Russia. Germany was adjudged to have best developed the Expo Theme, followed by Angola and Kazakhstan.The Cluster Pavilions and the institutional medalsMontenegro, Venezuela and Gabon won the first three prizes in the content and display category, and Algeria, Cambodia and Mauritania the awards for best Theme development. BIE Gold Medals were awarded to the Italian Government, represented by Commissioner Bruno Antonio Pasquino, to the Expo 2015 Company, represented by Diana Bracco, to the Lombardy Regional Government, in the person of its President, Roberto Maroni, and to the City of Milan, represented by its Mayor Giuliano Pisapia. The Steering Committee of Pavilion Commissioner Generals was also awarded a Gold Medal, received by Albina Assis Africano, as was WE – Women for Expo, represented by Emma Bonino. Silver Medals were awarded to the Expo Milano 2015 Volunteers, the Italian Order of Journalists and the Civil Society Associations.
Featured on The Japan Times, 2015/10/31
Japan Pavilion wins best exhibition prize at world expo
Japan Pavilion wins best exhibition prize at world expoMILAN – The Japan Pavilion received the gold prize for best exhibition Friday at Expo Milan 2015, on the eve of the six-month event’s final day.Under the theme of “Harmonious Diversity,” the exhibition showcased Japan’s traditional culinary culture, including foods cooked with fermentation methods, as well as its agricultural, forestry and fisheries know-how.The pavilion also included interactive displays presenting potential solutions to global issues such as how to achieve sustainable food supply, which was held under the theme of “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life.”The pavilion was one of the most popular venues at the expo, with visitors waiting up to 10 hours for entry on some days.The prizes, presented by the International Exhibitions Bureau, which oversees the organization of international expos, were awarded in three categories — architecture, exhibition design and theme — based on pavilion size.Japan’s facility was recognized for its harmonious combination of nature and technological innovation in the large-scale exhibition category.The pavilion’s commissioner general, Tatsuya Kato, who r
Featured on 週刊新潮, Oct 29, 2015
ミラノ万博「日本館」が圧倒的な人気になった理由
イタリア人は行列を作れない、という声は昔から聞かれる。レジ前に並んでいても、たちまち横入りされるし、美術館やオペラのチケット売り場には、行列の代わりに黒山の人だかりができる。そんなイタリアで今、椿事が起きている。（Excerpt from the text）
Featured on The Boston Globe, Oct 22, 2015
Japanese collective teamLab enchants at Radcliffe
CAMBRIDGE — Thanks to its many innovative research institutions and to the long-term contributions of organizations like Boston CyberArts, this city is a great place to see interactive, projection-based art.October has been especially rich for this kind of work. The second annual Illuminus festival — a spectacular laser and light show organized by Jeff Granz — was held on Lansdowne Street, as part of HUBweek, on the night of Oct. 10. A week later, Joseph Ketner of Emerson College organized “Electric Pilgrims,” a group show featuring outdoor projections on building facades and TV screens set up on Channel Center Street in South Boston.Both events had to contend with the weather and were limited to one night. That’s not the case with “Parallax,” Shahzia Sikander’s ravishing animated projection at Tufts University Art Gallery, which I reviewed a few weeks ago. Nor is it the case with a new show at Harvard’s Radcliffe Institute. Both are indoors, and ongoing.Called “What a Loving and Beautiful World,” the Radcliffe show is in the new Johnson-Kulukundis Family Gallery in Byerly Hall. It is immersive, interactive, and genuinely entrancing.It’s by teamLab, a large consortium of artists, programmers, engineers, computer graphics animators, mathematicians, and graphic designers, formed in 2001 and based in Tokyo.There are three parts to teamLab’s display at the Radcliffe Institute (which, by the way, has an impressively ambitious art program). The biggest and most memorable is a video installation in a room you walk into, and then have a hard time leaving — it’s that engrossing.Calligraphic characters, in both Japanese and Chinese script, descend slowly from the low ceiling. Reach out toward them and they shrink away, before transforming into the thing they connote. The character for “mountains,” for instance, turns into animated imagery of a mountain range; the same for snow, rain, and so on.The biggest and most interactive portion of the show surrounds visitors.The imagery, traditional in appearance (which is to say painted with brush and ink), spreads magically and seemingly spontaneously across the gallery’s three walls. Bare winter branches alternate with birds in flight, butterflies, and floating flower petals.A rainbow appears, then slanting rain, then snow — or the same, but in a different order. Dark, inky effusions contrast with a splendidly isolated moon, a sun, mountains and waves, a blue dawn, an enflamed sunset.The writing was executed by a professional calligrapher who goes by the name Sisyu. The work’s conception is attributed to her and to teamLab. The accompanying soundtrack, the kind of atmospheric but essentially flavorless music you hear while getting a back massage, is by Hideaki Takahashi.It’s hard to explain how charming and at times transporting the work is. The interactive conceit — your awareness that the imagery is responding to the willed movements of your and your fellow viewers’ arms — is tempered by a wondrous sense of words and pictures appearing and spreading in ways beyond your control.You lift your arm to make something happen, but a second later, some other image swells across the screen as a result of someone else’s actions. The whole thing feels likably democratic. Yet compositionally, the visuals never feel crowded or chaotic.As in traditional Asian art, there is a beautiful tension between emptiness and fullness, and between elements that splinter and those that cohere. Outside this main gallery are wall-mounted screens showing two more works, both featuring calligraphy by Sisyu, animated and ornamented by her teamLab colleagues. One called “Life Survives by the Power of Life” is a six-minute digital animation that begins, hypnotically, with pooling black ink marks appearing out of nowhere on a light, inchoate ground.The marks morph magically into bare branches, which are soon covered with snow, all in a slowly rotating three-dimensional space. Gradually, the snow melts and is replaced by buds, leaves, flowers, and a profusion of life — “weeds in wheels” shooting “long and lovely and lush,” as Gerard Manley Hopkins put it in “Spring.”The second, “Cold Life,” began as a kind of peeling away of the virtual surface of the previous work, so that we see its computer graphics “bones,” so to speak: wireframe models with dense abstracted data rendered in three dimensions, in a dominant palette of electric blue.The imagery in all three teamLab works feels clichéd and sentimental, while its stated themes — nature and humanity — are perhaps unhelpfully vague. But somehow, the mash-up of traditional and new, handmade and high tech, pulls you in, and you succumb to these works’ inner logic.Bring kids, if you can. They will love it.Art ReviewTEAMLAB AT RADCLIFFE: What a Loving and Beautiful WorldAt Johnson-Kulukundis Family Gallery, Byerly Hall, Radcliffe Yard, Harvard University, through Nov. 14. 617-496-1153, www.radcliffe.harvard.edu/event/2015-teamlab-exhibition