evala (left) and Intercommunication Center Chief Curator Minoru Hatanaka (right). (©Paul de Vries)
The sound exhibition, evala: Emerging Site, Disappearing Sight, is part of a broader See by Your Ears project that sound artist evala has been developing since 2017. This latest edition is conveniently located at the Intercommunication Center (ICC) at Tokyo Opera City, Shinjuku, until March 9.
Sound art is an auditory-centered form of expression. It utilizes the sounds and tones of the environmental and human world, rather than those produced by musical instruments. While frequently incorporating visual images, the focus is upon "listening itself." The art form offers an alternative method of "seeing" (experiencing) the world.
Kyoto prefectural native, evala, has been active in the field of sound art since the early 2000s. His latest edition, evala: Emerging Site, Disappearing Sight is the culmination of his See by Your Ears project to date, and includes works specifically created for the exhibition.
'A Requiem for Those Who Have Died'
This exhibition contains eight works in total. Additionally, it includes video presentations of archived works. The dominant feature is ebb tide, an exhibit that takes up the totality of the largest exhibition room. A large playground-style structure made of a foam-like substance has been installed in the center of a darkened room. Visitors are invited to utilize its angles and spaces to sit or recline while listening to audio of nature.
ebb tide refers to "ebbing tide," ー the time when the seawater recedes from the shore. Its central structure, therefore, reminds one of a rock that becomes accessible when the tide is low. evala has characterized the work as "a requiem for those who have died," and an expression of "awe" for the continuity of life.
For those seeking a fresh start to the new year, time spent within ebb tide is well advised. The structure is sound-absorbing and warm. Once inside, the minutes fly by. One suspects that, at closing time, the staff is obliged to prod a visitor or two awake.
In Pure Darkness, Sound
An exhibit conducted within the ICCs anechoic chamber is a further highlight. The chamber is a shielded room that prevents sound and electromagnetic waves from reflecting or echoing. Exhibition attendees sit solitary in total darkness while listening to their chosen selection from five offered sound compositions.
The anechoic chamber maximizes the hearing sense to the point where some will find the experience uncomfortable. Therefore, a pre-entry orientation includes warnings on the possibility of panic attacks.
After entering, participants are advised on the location of an emergency button. Nonetheless, it is an extraordinary experience and one that few exhibition venues can provide.
Access to the chamber is limited so combination tickets that include a reservation are highly advised.
Germinating Bubbles
The most visually engaging exhibit is Sprout "fizz." It encompasses a large open space containing innumerable small speakers that emit bubbling sounds. "Sprout", which means "to germinate", is also made up of the letters "SP OUT," an abbreviation of "speaker out." Visitors are permitted to walk freely inside the work.
Galleries for this exhibition are largely dark, and the audio nature of the exhibits discourages conversation. Sprout "fizz" is the one exhibit within which the visual sense is a necessity as the wires that connect the speakers are exposed.
An exhibition of sound art of the quality of evala: Emerging Site, Disappearing Sight is an uncommon event. The Intercommunication Center, complete with its anechoic chamber, likewise is not a typical venue. To experience a sound artist of the quality of evala, within a facility such as the ICC, is a rare opportunity for visitors and the people of Tokyo.
Please visit the ICC website for information on hours, closures and access.
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Author: Paul de Vries
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