Ryuichi Sakamoto, who passed away in 2023, was one of Japan’s most globally influential musicians and composers. Following early success as a member of 1980s techno pioneers Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO), Tokyo-born Sakamoto established himself as an ever forward-thinking solo artist with music that ranged from electronic experimentation to soundtracks for major feature films. His most well-known work remains ‘Forbidden Colours’, written for 1983movie ‘Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence’ (in which Sakamoto also acted, alongside David Bowie).
As demonstrated by this tribute exhibition, from the dawn of the 1990s Sakamoto’s impulse to innovate led him to increasingly incorporate multimedia technology into his work. Exhibition co-curator Daito Manabe of art/technology collective Rhizomatiks, a close friend of Sakamoto, has created new work for this event that is based upon performance data left behind by the late artist. These creations are complemented here by work from the many Japanese and international artists who enjoyed connections with Sakamoto, and a programme of concerts, film screenings and other events.