“Festivals” have long been a source of emotional support and a wellspring of vitality for people, both in the past and today. This work is a video installation centered on celebratory customs and festival events in Tohoku. It seeks to reconstruct the long-standing “special days” traditions of Tohoku by adding new perspectives and interpretations.

About the Work On July 19, 2019, Grand Cinema Sunshine, a large 12-screen cinema complex, opened in Ikebukuro. Grand Cinema Sunshine offers future-standard entertainment through facilities and services that go beyond the conventional standards of cinema complexes, including the state-of-the-art “IMAX® Laser / GT Technology,” the largest permanent cinema installation in Japan, and “4DX with ScreenX,” an immersive theater making its debut in Japan, as well as playful interior design that allows visitors to immerse themselves in the world of film. WOW was responsible for the direction of “Lumière,” the chandelier installed in the 4th-floor entrance lobby of the facility, and “Motion Ceiling,” the giant LED display covering the ceiling on the 12th floor. We also created a linked visual presentation for 47 vertical 55-inch signage displays installed on the walls and pillars throughout the facility, extracting the world of “Motion Ceiling.” Lumière We created a chandelier that serves as an icon of Grand Cinema Sunshine, as “a new art form incorporating contemporary interpretation and technology.” The surface of a 2.7-meter-diameter sphere made of stainless steel with a mirror finish was divided into 47 Voronoi sections, and by projecting images from four directions, the visuals displayed on the screen embedded at the center are repeatedly and intricately reflected. The chandelier’s design and structural concept were handled by Tofu Architects. Evoking a colossal kaleidoscope of light, the chandelier adds a dazzling presence to the entrance space of Grand Cinema Sunshine. Motion Ceiling Covering the enormous ceiling, approximately 31 meters wide and 10 meters high, is the art motion graphics work “Motion Ceiling.” Inspired by a beautiful ceiling painting, this work was created around three themes: “GEOMETRY,” characterized by nimble tile actions; “REFLECTION,” depicting a giant cloth gracefully fluttering in the sky; and “LIGHT,” which expresses a glittering city enveloped by countless particles. The LED display spanning the entire ceiling is so massive that it can also be seen from the surrounding streets. The presentation was designed with both the people relaxing in the café and lounge spaces and those viewing it from the nearby streets, looking up at it, in mind.

An interactive video installation inspired by festivals and traditional events long passed down in Tohoku. In this work, the mysterious act of “transforming” into something other than a human being can be experienced through interactive visual expression. Taking four traditional customs—“Namahage,” “Shishiodori,” “Kasei-dori,” and “Sotome”—as motifs, the work visualizes them with WOW’s own interpretation. When a mask is put on in front of the screen, the viewer’s silhouette changes into each of these forms, and the blessings these events bring to people are projected as animation. This is an attempt to let viewers enjoyably experience the mysterious power of “becoming” someone other than themselves, or something other than human. The work carries the wish that by engaging with the traditional culture born of Tohoku’s land and climate through a completely new form of expression, its value will be passed on to the next generation.