INDEX
Display of the Piano Sakamoto Cherished and Used
The exhibition concludes with a special archive display of “Music Plays Images X Images Play Music”. This project originated from a collaboration between Ryuichi Sakamoto (music) and Toshio Iwai (visuals) that was presented at the 1997 Ars Electronica, where it won the Grand Prix in the Interactive Art category. In this exhibition, a combination of MIDI data recording Sakamoto’s performance and video footage capturing him during the performance creates an emotional, immersive space that makes it feel as if Sakamoto is playing right in front of you. The piano on display is also the very MIDI piano that Sakamoto used and loved.
The data from Sakamoto’s performance is instantly converted into visuals, reflected as streaks of light on the screen. As the melody builds from single notes to chords, countless streaks of light stretch upwards, seemingly about to pour down toward the audience. This instantly recalls the image of the rain-drenched water basin seen earlier in the exhibition. It’s as if sound rain falls inside the body, creating countless ripples that spread and seep through. Perhaps this is what it means to “listen” to time, I thought. It was a moment of brilliant narrative payoff at the very end.
