A major retrospective exhibition titled "Ryuichi Sakamoto: Seeing Sound, Hearing Time" opened at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo, celebrating the life and works of the iconic musician and artist Ryuichi Sakamoto, who passed away last year. This highly anticipated exhibition, which runs until March 30, 2025, is the first large-scale showcase of Sakamoto's innovative approaches to sound and his collaborations with various artists.
Throughout his career, Sakamoto has significantly influenced the world of music and contemporary art by exploring the intersections of sound, space, and time. This exhibition elegantly encapsulates Sakamoto's philosophy, presenting over ten immersive installations, each incorporating both sound and visual experiences, allowing visitors to experience art and music simultaneously.
Among the numerous highlights is the collaboration between Sakamoto and various artists, including Shiro Takahashi and Daito Manabe. These installations offer unique interactive experiences where spectators can immerse themselves not just as observers but also as participants. The exhibition enables them to explore the concepts of sound as living entities, continuously shifting and transforming.
One of the standout installations, "LIFE-fluid, invisible, inaudible…" created alongside Shiro Takahashi, features nine ethereal vessels suspended from above, which release fog and light, accompanied by soundscapes derived from Sakamoto's opera "LIFE." This creation challenges visitors to perceive music not merely as sound but as something tangible and fluid, inviting personal interpretation of the auditory experience. "Watching the ephemeral systems of mist and sound change has allowed us to understand music's fleeting nature," said Takahashi, emphasizing the transformative experience of the artwork.
Another notable installation, "async-volume," developed with Zakkubalan, features multiple iPhones and iPads arranged to play visuals and sound clips from Sakamoto's life and work. This piece invites visitors to reflect on Sakamoto's legacy and artistic vision. It seamlessly integrates visual and sound storytelling, illustrating how various environments influenced his music compositions and creative processes.
A deeply philosophical aspect of the exhibition is encapsulated by guest curator Yuuko Nanba, who mentioned, "This exhibition will lend visitors the opportunity to experience Sakamoto's philosophy of sound and space interactively." Reflecting on this dynamic engagement, it showcases not only what Sakamoto accomplished throughout his life hard work but also how his works continue to inspire and provoke thoughts around sound and experience long after his passing.
Another extraordinary work titled "Music Plays Images X Images Play Music" allows audiences to engage intimately with Sakamoto's musical performances, vividly bringing to life the melodies composed for notable films. Displays of him playing his iconic Yamaha piano—a instrument Luthier David Davis restored after the tragic 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami—add depth and gravitas to the installation, connecting visitors to Sakamoto's past directly. Daito Manabe noted, "Ryuichi’s spirit lives on through the sound and the shared experience we create," reiterates the collective memory we share through the interactions spurred by the exhibition.
Within these installations, visitors are encouraged to contemplate philosophical questions surrounding auditory art, echoing the depths of inquiry posed about the nature of sound itself. Activities within the museum become not only aesthetic but deeply personal as each participant connects with Sakamoto's creations through their unique interpretations, memories, and emotions.
The exhibition provides time to reflect on the transient beauty of sound and how art can influence perception and memory. The display of collaborations alongside solo works emphasizes Sakamoto’s approach to art as one of collective expression, inviting audiences to form their interpretations of sound as art—something constructed and lived through.
Culmination presentations, ending with Sakamoto's musings about sound's capacity to shape human experience, cast his experience beyond visual and acoustic confines. Closing the exhibition with the installation displaying his contemplative pieces encourages visitors to leave with thoughts on how sound and sight inform their experiences and memories of Sakamoto.
"Ryuichi Sakamoto: Seeing Sound, Hearing Time" is not just an exhibition; it is a heartfelt tribute to Sakamoto's legacy and his continual influence on music and art alike, affirming its rightful place within the annals of contemporary culture.