It seems like teamLab is everywhere these days, bringing some much-needed light and fun in the midst of this glum pandemic. The world-conquering art collective has all sorts of ongoing projects like this installation in a soy sauce storehouse, not to mention the digital art ramen restaurant inside Tokyo's teamLab Planets.
For an outdoor option, the 500,000sqm Mifuneyama Rakuen Park in Kyushu’s Taeko Onsen town is hosting teamLab’s annual summer-autumn installation, ‘A Forest Where Gods Live’. The pieces of indoor and outdoor art meld Kyushu’s lush forest with teamLab’s signature lighting and projections.
Nature and spirituality are a huge part of ‘A Forest Where Gods Live’, and the art respects and reflects humanity’s connection to the land. The 3,000-year-old Okusu tree sits on the grounds of Takeo Shrine on the edge of the park, while Mifuneyama Rakuen Hotel is on the other side, separated by the forest and teamLab art. ‘Life is Continuous Light - Azalea Valley’ and ‘Resonating Mt Mifuneyama’ bring the two sites to life with illuminations that shine and fade, highlighting the natural beauty of the forest.
‘Megaliths in Bath House Ruins’ is inspired by Mifuneyama Rakuen’s ancient boulders and bath houses. Digital projections of flowers or water move between slanted monolithic pillars, lighting up the abandoned bath house where the installation takes place.
‘A Forest Where Gods Live’ will be held at Mifuneyama Rakuen Park in Taeko Onsen, Saga prefecture, from July 15 to November 6. Updates on opening hours and online bookings will be made as more information becomes available.
This article was originally published on May 11 2021 and updated on February 15 2022.
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