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New teamLab Borderless

The new Azabudai Hills project, recently inaugurated in the Toranomon district, is a new landmark for Tokyo and attracts thousands of visitors thanks to its attractions. One is the teamLab Borderless: MORI Building DIGITAL ART MUSEUM, which opened on February 9th. We had the chance to visit the press preview and enjoy the museum in a tranquil atmosphere without too much of a crowd.

Created in 2018 by teamLab - the art collective that “aims to explore the relationship between the self and the world and new forms of perception through art” - Borderless was first located in Odaiba. Mori Building has always focused on art and culture as crucial elements in urban development, such as its Mori Art Museum in Roppongi Hills. It is, therefore, no coincidence that Mori Building chose to include Borderless in its biggest and most ambitious project, Azabudai Hills.

After the COVID-19 pandemic, Japan has quickly become a leading tourist destination in Asia. Since its first edition in Odaiba, teamLab Borderless has attracted more than 2.3 million annual visitors. According to a survey, approximately 50% of foreign visitors to the museum came to Tokyo to visit the museum. These numbers can help us understand the disruptive power of this new concept of museum, where art, culture, and research intertwine through highly advanced technology capable of involving all social classes and all age groups.

The museum comprises over fifty independent artworks that form complex interrelationships, creating one borderless world, hence the name Borderless. Artworks move out of rooms, communicate with other works, influence, and sometimes intermingle without boundaries, forming one borderless world.

“We wanted to create a physical, spatial art that expands infinitely, where people walk around with intention,” says Toshiyuki Inoko, Founder of teamLab. “A physical art that becomes one with the body changes through the presence of people, where the artwork world is continuous with the body. That is the foundation of teamLab Borderless.” The theory behind the attraction of Borderless is called Existence in Perception. “Reality is not what we see. What we see is a world that we are capable of perceiving. Once the world we perceive changes, our perception of the world will expand, and our actions will subconsciously begin to change.”

It explores the notion of perception and existence and how humans see the world through the experience of the artworks. These works do not exist in the actual physical space that people see but in people’s perception. Even if they do not exist in the actual physical space, if they exist in our perception, we recognize them as ‘in existence.’ On the other hand, if something is already there in everyday life but is not recognized, it is invisible. However, once we perceive its existence, the world we perceive expands, and we can see it in our daily lives.

The following part summarizes the content of each artwork and the philosophy behind its creation.

Entrance

At the entrance space, the words "teamLab Borderless" dynamically emerge towards the forefront when viewed through a camera from a designated position. However, when observed directly with the naked eye from the same vantage point, the letters do not manifest prominently, indicating that human perception does not adhere to a lens-like perspective.

The Way of the Sea: Cosmic Void

This artwork defies physical boundaries. The fish's trajectory manifests three-dimensionally, blurring the distinction between art and space. Observers seamlessly meld into this immersive world, floating weightlessly. Through this piece, an exploration of perception unfolds, inviting contemplation of this mystical existence.

Crows are Chased, and the Chasing Crows are Destined to be Chased as well: Cosmic Void

Here, mythical crows soar gracefully, their movements transcending physical barriers as they pursue the lead crow. The cyclic nature of pursuit and flight unfolds as the chasing crows find themselves pursued in turn. The three-dimensional trajectory of the crows' flight lines becomes tangible in space, intertwining with the observers' bodies as they become immersed in the artwork's realm.

Life is an Ephemeral Light that Blooms in the Dark

In this enigmatic setting, diverse masses from different times and spaces coexist haphazardly. When individuals pause in proximity to the artwork, the flowers experience a faint but discernible surge in growth and bloom. This is a testament to the symbiotic relationship between observer and art, where stillness engenders fleeting moments of heightened vitality.

Black Waves: Born in the Darkness, Return to the Darkness

In classical East Asian art, waves are depicted through a mesmerizing interplay of lines, revealing the interconnectedness of all oceans and waves. Each wave is imbued with a vitality that echoes the essence of life itself. When waves surge, they exude a profound vitality akin to blooming life. Yet, as they ebb and vanish, they remind us of their ephemeral nature. This interconnectedness is symbolic of life's continuous emergence.

Universe of Fire Particles Dissolving

The flames depicted in this artwork emerge through intricate layers of lines, stretching in myriad directions, both towards the viewer and away, before gently dissipating. The image that materializes is influenced by the focal point of each individual's gaze, yet it implies a dynamic quality that extends beyond conscious intention.

Frozen Life

While the artwork may seem two-dimensional when captured by a camera in a single moment, the human body can perceive it as a three-dimensional sculpture. This suggests that our perception of the world extends beyond immediate timeframes, with our bodies dynamically perceiving the nuances of our surroundings.

An Existence Without Center or Boundary

As observers attempt to interact with the apparent black nucleus at the perceived center of the artwork, it responds and morphs yet remains untouchable. Surprisingly, both the presumed center and a wall's perceived boundary prove illusory. This artwork delves into the complex concepts of cognition and existence, challenging conventional notions of how humans perceive and interpret the world around them.

Light Sculpture – Flow

This series introduces monumental sculptures where light appears to surge outward, enveloping viewers and drawing them into its expansive embrace. Drawing inspiration from the enigmatic vortices of the ocean, the concept delves into the perception of life within ordered chaos. Despite spatial and temporal disjunctions, the aggregation of flowing light forms a universe wherein the essence of life is palpable.

Bubble Universe

Bubble Universe is an interactive masterpiece that immerses viewers in a realm filled with many spheres, each containing a unique interplay of light, symbolizing diverse existences. Through this work, teamLab delves into the intricacies of cognition and existence, challenging perceptions of the world by showcasing the continuous coexistence of various phenomena within our environment. Despite the seemingly random arrangement of spheres, it is meticulously determined mathematically. Drawing lines between the closest spheres results in a distribution that forms a unicursal line, symbolizing the beauty of continuity.

Microcosmoses

In Microcosmoses - Wobbling Light, an infinite expanse is illuminated by countless wobbling lights that traverse the space in continuous motion, their depths unfathomable to human comprehension. Part of teamLab's groundbreaking Cognitive Sculpture project, Wobbling Light epitomizes sculptures that transcend physical existence, instead inhabiting the cognitive realm. Through its exploration of disparate orders converging to form a cohesive whole, the artwork challenges conventional notions of the universe's composition and emergence.

Sketch Ocean

In Sketch Ocean, rooted in the concept of collaborative creation or co-creation, visitors engage in coloring fish on paper. As the colored-in images spring to life, the fish swim dynamically into the oceanic scene before the observer, joining other fish from fellow participants. These animated fish interact responsively with visitors before venturing beyond the confines of individual artworks, seamlessly navigating through the museum space.

EN TEA HOUSE

The journey ends with EN TEA HOUSE, which offers a unique tea-drinking experience. With each cup of tea brewed, delicate flowers unfurl within the teacup, blossoming infinitely as long as the tea remains. Thus, the tea within the cup transforms into an endless universe where flowers perpetually bloom. Visitors are invited to immerse themselves in this ever-expanding world as they savor their tea within the tranquil confines of the tea house.