An art exhibition titled Sleeping Memory will be held at the Bonsai Shikinokai in Omiya, Saitama, from February 8 (Saturday) to 16 (Sunday).
The exhibition is part of Saitama City’s cultural promotion project, Imagining Saitama, which aims to create digital works inspired by the city’s cultural resources and share its charm both locally and internationally. The project invites young creators and curators to submit digital artwork or curation plans inspired by cultural resources such as “bonsai, manga, dolls, and railways.” In fiscal year 2024, the project selected Sleeping Memory, an audio-visual work created by Leonid Zvolinsky, a composer and new media artist currently enrolled in the Graduate School of Music at Tokyo University of the Arts. Zvolinsky, who graduated with honors from the Moscow Conservatory, was inspired by the theme of “bonsai.”
The artwork is based on research into visualizing plant communication and expresses the memory of Saitama’s urban landscape through bonsai perception, sound, and video. Visitors can also enjoy the piece as it changes in real-time based on their movements.
The exhibition will take place at Bonsai Shikinokai, located in the Omiya Bonsai Village. This village was founded in 1925 by bonsai growers who moved to Omiya after the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923. It is known as a sacred place for fine bonsai and attracts bonsai enthusiasts from around the world. In 2025, the village will celebrate its 100th anniversary.
On opening day, February 8 (Saturday), there will be an event where Leonid Zvolinsky explains his work. It will also feature a Sleeping Memory performance collaboration between Fukui Saho and midorim‘s unit Life’s Vitality, blending physical expression, music, and memory.
Both the exhibition and the event are free to attend. However, registration is required for the event, and only 15 participants will be accepted. Registration is available on the Arts Council Saitama website.
Saitama Cultural Promotion Project “Imagining Saitama” – Sleeping Memory
Exhibition Period: February 8 (Saturday) – February 16 (Sunday), 2025 (Reiwa 7)
Opening Hours: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM Note: On February 8 (Saturday), free viewing is available until 3:00 PM, and on February 14 (Friday), the venue will stay open until 7:30 PM.
Venue: Bonsai Shikinoya (267-1, Bonsai-cho, Kita-ku, Saitama City)
Artist: Leonid Zvolinsky (Composer, New Media Artist)
Target Audience: Open to everyone
Capacity: None Note: Temporary entry restrictions may apply if there are too many visitors.
Admission: Free
Application: Not required Note: Related events require prior registration and have a capacity limit.
Organizer: Arts Council Saitama (Saitama City Cultural Promotion Foundation)
Collaboration: Tokyo University of the Arts Curation Education and Research Center, Omiya Bonsai Art Museum
Related Event:
Artist Talk & Opening Performance
Date: February 8, 2025 (Saturday), 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM
Capacity: 15 people (Free)
Application: Registration starts at 10:00 AM on January 7, 2025 (Tuesday)
Register via the Arts Council Saitama website:
https://saitama-culture.jp/imaginationsaitama/
Overview: “Sleeping Memory” Performance Version
A performance combining physical expression and music centered around the theme of “memory” in collaboration with the artwork.
Performers: Leonid Zvolinsky, Life’s Vitality (Saho Fukui, midorim)