BRIAN ENO AMBIENT KYOTO

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BRIAN ENO AMBIENT KYOTO

June 3− September 3 2022
Kyoto Chuo Shinkin Bank Kyu Kosei Center

A Sound and Light installation by Brian Eno, the pioneer in audio and visual art. This June in Kyoto.

VISUAL ARTIST
BRIAN ENO

Photo： Cecily Eno

“We use art to deal with feelings and emotions we might not be able to handle in the real world. With art that disturbs us, we have the ability to turn it off when we want or run away – we can crash it and there’s no real harm done. So, by allowing ourselves to let go of the world that we have to be part of every day, and to surrender to another kind of world, we’re freeing ourselves to allow our imaginations to be inspired.”
 
Eno exhibits his art widely across the world the 77 Million Paintings piece alone shown in forty galleries which is also permanently displayed in Austria and England. His other work using light, his Light Boxes are on permanent display in various locations in Europe and North America, either in the hands of institutions or private collectors.
 
In recent years, Eno has been showing one of his audio installations,  The Ship,  based on his 2016 album of the same name. He describes the materials used as “Speakers & Light” and takes two major events of the start of the 20th Century, namely the sinking of the Titanic and the Great War, as points within the piece.
 
As well as his early recordings with Roxy Music, Eno has released 28 studio albums, 13 compilation albums, 26 collaborative albums. He has produced 43 albums including those by U2, Coldplay, Talking Heads and James. Eno has co-written with David Bowie, U2, Karl Hyde, Coldplay, Grace Jones and Robert Fripp and worked with Paul Simon along with many other of the world’s most influential musicians.
He has written three music-based apps for iPhone, Bloom, Trope and Scape.
 
Eno is also an active environmentalist, championing the involvement of the music business in addressing the disastrous effects of Global Warming.

About BRIAN ENO

HIGHLIGHT
AMBIENT KYOTO

“One of the things which strongly draws me to generative art is the idea that the thing is so big, in that there are so many variations, that not even the artist can see all the possibilities.
Since my first experiments with light and sound in the late 1960’s, I’ve never ceased to be fascinated by the amazingly intricate, complex and unpredictable results produced by simple deterministic systems. Out of simplicity, complexity arises. That is for me the most incredible idea of evolution theory and of cybernetics. John Cage once said: “The function of art is to imitate nature in her manner of operation” and that has been an objective for me throughout my working life.”

1. Spatial art by Eno, an innovator in visual artist

“I wanted to make listening experiences similar to sitting by a river…, an experience of continual change and constancy at the same time” by Brian Eno

In music production, Eno has proposed and released non-repetitive, continuous, and ever-changing pieces of music, calling it “generative music.” He uses that same approach in the realm of visual art, pioneering in creating immersive spatial art called “generative art,” in which both sound and light shift and sync with each other.

2. An immersive installation that offers a one-of-a-kind experience

“Ambient music” is a genre of music that allows different ways of listening: a listener can listen intently, half-listen, or not even listen at all. Eno, who pioneered the genre, applies the same philosophy to his installation works, creating a space where visitors can interact in whatever way they feel.
Each passing moment is defined differently, with the sound and light constantly shifting and sitting. The audience are able to have a unique experience of their own depending on when they come and where they sit in the room. It is an audience-centric, immersive installation that can only be experience then and there.

3. The first large-scale installation exhibition post-COVID

The stage is Kyoto, one of the most renowned cities with rich history and culture. Eno has been active in addressing environmental issues from early on in his career. It will be interesting to see what kind of message he will share with this exhibition.
The exhibition will open in June 2022. The venue is a 90-year-old historical building.

EXHIBITED WORKS

Exhibits

Exhibits will include iconic works such as “77 Million Paintings” and “The Ship”. Details to be announced soon!

“77 Million Paintings”

Conceived by Eno as ‘visual music’, 77 Million Paintings is a constantly evolving sound and image-scape that is unique in every moment. Born from his continuous exploration into light as an artist’s medium and the aesthetic possibilities of new technology.

This artwork was first exhibited at the Laforet Museum Harajuku in 2006, subsequently touring all over the world while repeating updates 47 times. It continues to attract art fans globally and has become one of the most iconic works in the visual art world.

It will return to Japan in 2022 for the first time in 16 years!

“The Ship”

One of his most well-known audio installation.
By making individual sounds from a large number of unique speakers, you can hear sounds differently depending on your position. You can also spontaneously mix the sounds from individual speakers as you move around the room.
In addition, the light is designed for the speakers so that they will stand out visually as well.

*The photos in this page are from past installation exhibitions.

brian-eno.net

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