An Exhibit for All the Senses
The What Museum in Shinagawa will hold the exhibition “Synesthesia – The Five Senses Interacting Through Art” by Akihito Okunaka featuring a giant experimental balloon-shaped sculpture.
The exhibit’s encompassing theme is synesthesia, the perceptual phenomenon where the brain processes sensory information through multiple unrelated senses such as the feeling of tasting words or seeing music. Artist Okunaka has interpreted synesthesia in his own way and incorporated it into his work for this exhibition: he believes that the senses can be a way to connect nature, society and people.
The formless elements of air, water and light are used as a medium to awaken guests’ senses. By sensing the presence of something that is supposed to have no form, the concept is that you will feel a more profound connection with others. At the Synesthesia exhibition, you can touch, enter, lie down and interact with the artwork using your five senses.
The highlight of the exhibit is the balloon installation with a 12-meter diameter. A large water balloon is placed inside the sculpture, refracting light and filling the room with various colors.
The What Museum is a contemporary art collection. Okunaka was influenced by Bruno Latour, a philosopher who was mainly active in sociology and technology. Latour’s ideas advocate for reexamination of humanity’s existence between nature and society. With similar themes, Okunaka pursues to demonstrate the dynamics between people and things through the properties of air, water and light. Okunaka has held numerous workshops at art venues around Japan and hosted presentations of his large-scale experimental works both domestically and internationally.
The exhibition will be in display until March 2025. A special workshop event will also be available for only one day on September 15 with Artist Okunaka himself as a guest lecturer. At the workshop, guests will be able to create a miniature version of the balloon sculpture to take home. By getting a glimpse of the production process of the artwork, guests can get a deeper understanding of the Okunaka’s concept. Workshop capacity is 12 people on a first come, first served basis. Tickets are ¥1,000 and online tickets will be on sale on August 6th. Application details will be listed on the official website.
