Japanese art collective blurs line between videogames and gallery-art in American debut

From July 17 to August 15, you can go to the Pace Gallery in New York and experience the joys of digitally flowing water, dancing flower petals and plants blossoming into life.

But don’t expect a typical gallery environment for Japanese digital art group TeamLab. Their collection titled Ultra Subjective Space allows the viewer options on how to view each moving art piece. Rather than being forced to one perspective, which is typical in western culture, TeamLab’s pieces are sprawled across a wall and continue to loop, letting the viewer root themselves into any part of the piece they wish.

Such forward-thinking design is deeply ingrainted in TeamLab, which is actually a collection of artists, mathematicians, architects, and programmers, much like a videogame company. Each facet of art works together to create an interactive piece that forbids you to look in one perspective. It’s almost like a videogame, except you’re the character and not playing as a character.

 

TeamLab’s collection, including works like Crows are Chased and the Chasing Crows are Destined to be Chased as Well – Light in Dark, 2014 and Ever Blossoming Life, 2014, all feature similar themes, celebrating nature and civilization, while also praising the advantages new technology can give us. Among those advantages? Awesome art displays.

TeamLab’s display is in the Pace Gallery, but if you can’t make it to New York, try out the online version of the interactive masterpiece on TeamLab’s website.