Review of the digital art museum in Toyosu, Tokyo

Hello! I went to the digital art museum, “teamLab Planets TOKYO” in Toyosu last weekend.

What is “teamLab”?

teamLab is the Japanese “Ultra Technologist group” active in the world. It makes a lot of artworks using the latest technology. teamLab has been producing artworks with the body immersive concept for many years. You can experience those artworks in “teamLab Planets TOKYO”. The museum is limited open in Toyosu for 2 years until the fall of 2020.

→The session of this exhibition has been extended. The museum is open until 2022 !

teamLab says, your body immerse in the artworks with digital technology and you seem to feel as if the boundary between the body and the work becomes ambiguous.

What is the digital art museum like?

“teamLab Planets TOKYO” is in front of Yurikamome Shin-Toyosu Station.

You can buy the ticket on the internet before visiting. You may wait for entering depending on the day such as a holiday. There are two restaurants on the site, you can enjoy eating a meal before or after appreciation.

↑The black tent on the left is a waiting place to enter and the building on the right is a restaurant. Those located beside the exhibition hall.

Entering the entrance gate, I received an explanation about inside the hall by the video. The following are important!

・Your baggage except for your smartphone and camera must put in a locker.
・You will be barefoot in the hall.
・There are some places that get wet to water up to the adult’s knee height. You can borrow a towel and wipe your legs.
・There are also some places where the floor is a mirror surface. You had better not put on a skirt, because there is a possibility that underwear will be reflected.
・Some places such as an aisle are dark in the hall. Watch your step.

  

↑aisles in the hall. only footlight.

Then I will talk about featured works!

Featured Works of the digital art museum

The Infinite Crystal Universe

This work is made by a lot of LED lights. The floor is a mirror surface, visiting people are reflected on the floor. I felt as if the space was very large and there were a myriad of lights in this space. This is the picture of the floor.

The color of lights often changes. Very beautiful and fantastic. Many people were taking a picture.

This is the place where the ceiling, the floor, and the wall are all mirror surfaces.

I felt as if space was spreading indefinitely.

Drawing on the Water Surface Created by the Dance of Koi (a carp) and People – Infinity

You will experience this digital artwork soaking the feet in the water. Many of the swimming carps and flowers are projected by light on the surface of the water in dark space. The picture of carps on the water and the shadow of people is very fantastic.

↑My leg and the water

The wall is mirror surfaces, then I felt space went deeper than it looked.

According to the official website, the movement of carps and flowers is changed by a  computer program depending on viewers’ walking. This is digital artwork.

Floating in the Falling Universe of Flowers

Many various flowers are floating and flowing in the space of this work. It is a dark space like a universe. It’s like a planetarium. They are being projected in walls and a ceiling. The floor is a mirror surface. It is a very beautiful scene. I felt as if I floated in the universe. Strange! Many people were lying on the floor and watching the coming and going flowers.

That video is what I watched in this work. I think you can get the image of this work from the video.

I went to "teamLab Planets" in Toyosu,Tokyo. The digital artworks are wonderful and beautiful! #teamLab #teamLabPlanets #Tokyo pic.twitter.com/sGCpPX2nMx

— rice.japaneseol (@rice_Japaneseol) September 9, 2018

Other Works

Waterfall of Light Particles at the Top of an Incline

You will be walking on the aisle in the water and see the waterfall of light particles.

Expanding Three-dimensional Existence in Intentionally Transforming Space – Free Floating, 12 Colors

This work is also one of the representative artworks in this exhibition.  There are many light spheres in the space. Visiting people push the spheres and enter the space. They change color.

I couldn’t take a good picture (^^;).

teamLab’s digital art exhibition in Toyosu was very fun. It was the world I had never experienced. I could enjoy “body immersing” by the fusion of art and technology. I think it is an even interesting one for people who are not interesting in art.

teamLab has another digital art museum in Odaiba. I want to visit there next time.

teamLab Planets TOKYO

【location】	Toyosu 6-1-16, Koto-Ku, Tokyo
【access】	1 minute on foot from Yurikamome Shin-Toyosu Station
【open】	Until  Fall 2020 Weekdays, Sundays, and National Holidays: 9:00 – 23:00 (Last Entrance at 22:00) Fridays, Saturdays, and Day Before National Holidays: 9:00 – 24:00 (Last Entrance at 23:00)
【admission fee】	Regular ticket Adults 18 Years and above: 3,200 yen Junior Ages 13-17: 2,400 yen Children Ages 4-12: 800 yen Senior 65 Years and above: 2,400 yen Disability discount: 1,600 yen※You can also buy other tickets (Priority Lane ticket and Night Ticket). Please visit the website for details.
【website】	https://planets.teamlab.art/tokyo/

What kind of place is 豊洲 (Toyosu)?

By the way, Do you know 豊洲(Toyosu), where teamLab Planets TOKYO is located? Toyosu is a man-made island in Tokyo. That is a residential town many young families live. And in October 2018, Tsukiji Fish Market is going to be relocated to Toyosu.

The landmark spot of Toyosu is “Lalaport Toyosu”. It is a large shopping mall. If you want to buy or eat something, try to visit there.