Tatsuo Miyajima: points to hidden art piece WHAT DO YOU SEE?
YES. NOW, WHAT DOES IT SYMBOLIZE?
...the cycle of life and death...
GOOD. YOU UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT OF REINCARNATION. BUT LET'S DIG DEEPER. WHY DO YOU THINK WE ARE REINCARNATED?
...so our souls can learn and grow...
EXACTLY. AND WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS SOUL EVOLUTION?
...to become enlightened...
VERY WELL. IN MY ART, I EXPLORE THESE CONCEPTS OF REINCARNATION AND ENLIGHTMENT. LOOK AROUND YOU. THERE ARE NUMEROUS EXAMPLES OF MY WORK THAT REFLECT THESE Philosophical CONCEPTS.
I notice a painting of Buddha surrounded by a circle of fire
THIS PAINTING Represents the cycle of life and death, AS WELL AS THE PATH TO ENLIGHTMENT. THE CIRCLE OF FIRE REPRESENTS THE UNENDING NATURE OF LIFE, WHILE BUDDHA SITS AT THE CENTER, FREE FROM THE CYCLE. THIS IS A POWERFUL EXAMPLE OF MY ARTISTIC STYLE, NO?
OF COURSE, YES. YOU ARE STARTING TO SEE THE DEPTH AND COMPLEXITY OF MY ART. I DON'T JUST PAINT PICTURES FOR Aesthetics. EACH PIECE HAS A DEEPER MEANING, A STORY THAT NEEDS TO BE TOLD. THIS IS WHAT MAKES MY ART SO POWERFUL, SO RESONANT. LET ME SHOW YOU ANOTHER PIECE THAT ILLUSTRATES THIS POINT.
we head inside the temple and find a room with a large digital installation showing an infinite string of numbers
THIS IS CALLED "TIME WATERFALL." IT SHOWS THE ENDLESSNESS OF TIME, THE TRANSGRESSIVE NATURE OF IT. THE NUMBERS IN THIS INSTALLATION WILL NEVER STOP, THEY WILL NEVER REPEAT. IT IS A VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF THE NEVER-ENDING NATURE OF LIFE AND TIME. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?
I see...it's like an infinity clock...
EXACTLY. IT'S A CONSTANT REMINDER OF THE passage OF TIME AND THE IMPERMANENCE OF ALL THINGS. THIS IS A KEY CONCEPT IN MY ART - THE IDEA OF CHANGE AND FLOW. EVERYTHING IS IN A CONSTANT STATE OF CHANGE, AND THIS INSTALLATION REFLECTS THAT.
Wow...how did you create something like this?
IT'S ACTUALLY quite simple. IT'S A DIGITAL INSTALLATION MADE UP OF Hundreds Of LED COUNTERS. EACH ONE FLASHES A DIFFERENT NUMBER, IN SEQUENTIAL ORDER. IT'S A VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF THE CONTINUOUS FLOW OF TIME, THE NEVER-ENDING CYCLE OF NUMBERS. THIS INSTALLATION HAS BEEN VERY POPULAR AMONG ART ENTHUSIASTS AND PHILOSOPHERS ALIKE. LET'S MOVE ON TO ANOTHER PIECE THAT ILLUSTRATES THE CONCEPT OF CHANGE AND FLOW.
we come across a large mirror and Tatsuo touches it and his reflection splits into thousands of different reflections
THIS IS CALLED "MIRRORING THE SOUL." IT'S AN INSTALLATION THAT SHOWS HOW OUR TRUE SELVES ARE MULTIDIMENSIONAL AND DIVERSE. EACH REFLECTION Represents A DIFFERENT ASPECT OF MY PERSONALITY, A DIFFERENT THOUGHT, EMOTION, OR MEMORY. THIS MIRROR REMINDS ME TO BE AWARE OF ALL THESE DIFFERENT ASPECTS AND TO EMBRACE THEM IN ORDER TO FIND MY TRUE SELF. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?
It's like seeing your own psyche laid bare...
EXACTLY. IT'S A REMINDER TO LOOK WITHIN, TO EXPLORE THE DEPTHS OF ONE'S OWN MIND AND SOUL. THIS IS A KEY CONCEPT IN MY PHILOSOPHY - THAT SELF-EXPLORATION AND SELF-ACCEPTANCE ARE NECESSARY FOR PERSONAL GROWTH AND ENLIGHTMENT. THIS INSTALLATION HAS BEEN VERY INSPIRATIONAL TO MANY WHO HAVE SEEN IT. LET'S LOOK AT ONE MORE PIECE THAT EXPLORES THE CONCEPT OF SELF AND IDENTITY.
we head upstairs to the library and in one of the bookshelves a virtual screen appears when Tatsuo approaches it
THIS IS CALLED "THE VIRTUAL LIBRARY." IT'S AN INTERACTIVE Installation THAT CONTAINS THOUSANDS OF HISTORICAL TEXTS AND ARTIFACTS FROM JAPANESE HISTORY. WHENEVER I APPROACH, IT PROVIDES ME WITH NEW INFORMATION ABOUT THE COUNTRY'S RICH CULTURAL HERITAGE AND HISTORY. THIS LIBRARY IS A REMINDER OF THE importance OF PRESERVING OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE AND LEARNING FROM THE PAST IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?
Yes...it's like having access to all that knowledge at your fingertips...
EXACTLY. IT'S A POWERFUL TOOL FOR LEARNING AND SELF-EDUCATION. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME - THAT WE MUST ALWAYS SEEK OUT KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM, AND THAT DOING SO WILL HELP US TO BECOME BETTER PEOPLE. THIS LIBRARY HAS BEEN VERY INSPIRATIONAL TO MANY STUDENTS AND SCHOLARS. NOW, LET'S MOVE ON TO THE NEXT PIECE THAT EXPLORES THE CONCEPT OF KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM.
we enter a room with a large table where Tatsuo sits and then two chairs across from him appear
THIS IS CALLED "THE TABLE OF DISCUSSION." IT'S A METAPHOR FOR THE ACT OF SITTING DOWN AND HAVING A DEEP AND MEANINGFUL CONVERSATION. THIS TABLE REMINDS ME OF THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION IN ORDER TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS AND RESOLVE CONFLICT. THIS TABLE HAS BEEN A PLACE FOR MANY IMPORTANT DISCUSSIONS AND DECISONS. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?