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Brighten your day at the Magical Art Museum in Ueno 【Photos】

Rachel Tackett Sep 11, 2013
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From now until October 6 at the Ueno Royal Museum, a very special art exhibit is on display called Trick of the Light『Magical Art Museum』～Art in Wonderland. This unique collection of modern art encourages participation from visitors, rather than mere observation, creating an individualized artistic experience for every person taking part.

The magical exhibit houses 19 installation art pieces put together by 11 very talented artists. Felix Sayaka, talented reporter for our Japanese sister site, Pouch, visited the museum to give us all an illuminated introduction to four of the exhibition’s stellar works.

Kage’s nest (Nest of shadows)

This spectacular shadow trick is especially loved by children and will leave them squealing with joy. Whenever someone steps into the circle of light on the floor, their shadow releases a number of birds, butterflies, and other forms of life. Sometimes even snakes, trees, or people emerge! Children love to chase these lively silhouettes around the circle as though playing tag with their shadows.

Happy Halloween!

This interactive art piece uses a person’s own face as its base. When someone sits down in this space, their image is captured on video and projected onto the screen in front of them. A computer program immediately processes their facial features and superimposes a series of interesting makeovers onto the person’s face. The images tilt and stretch together with the movements of the person’s head. Ghosts, monsters, lovely ladies, and bearded gents are all included in the program’s repertoire of funny faces. Just sitting in the chair is a lot like dressing up for Halloween, as one watches his or her face transform.

Hop Step Junk

When you step onto one of these pedestals and stomp your feet, the nature of the light image reacts to the rhythm of your movements. The texture that appears from an adult’s self-conscious tapping on top of the pedestal is vastly different from a child’s excitable bouncing. Perhaps take it as a personal challenge to overcome all embarrassment and reproduce that bright and stripy pattern that uninhibited children invoke.

Ishi Mushi no Hyouhon (Stone Bug Specimens)

When a person selects a stone and places in within one of the wooden drawers, the monitor above it will display a certain creepy crawler based on the stone they selected. Every rock results in the different bug. The insect will then escape the confines of the screen to scurry up and across the wall. This piece is a guaranteed favorite of kids who like creepy critters like bugs and worms.

As a rare treat for exclusive exhibitions of this kind, taking pictures inside the museum is 100-percent allowed. It makes sense, since every person’s visit to the museum will prove different, and visitors will probably want to capture their unique artistic experiences within this mystical wonderland.

So, if you’re going to be around Tokyo between now and October 6, be sure to check out the Magical Art Museum exhibit! Go alone or share the magic with a friend. It’s the perfect place for a date or a full family visit!

Exhibit information:
Trick of the Light 『Magical Art Museum』～Art in Wonderland.
Place: Ueno Royal Museum
Address: Tokyo-to Taitou-ku Ueno Kouen 1-2
Access: 3 minutes walk from JR Ueno Station’s park exit
Hours: 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. daily (no entrance within 30 minutes of closing)
URL: http://www.mahou-museum.com

Photos: RocketNews24

▼ Here are some additional pictures of the other art installations on display!

▼ This table lights up to create inverted shadows.

▼ Here, a person’s image is projected onto their shadow, creating a doppelganger image on the floor.

▼ Spinning this silver ball casts a swirling star scape over the whole room.

▼ The lights here waver like candles occurring to the wind currents.

▼ This sculpture is already beautiful, and the shadows it casts are even more so.

▼ Finally, this piece uses marbles atop a thin piece of fabric with light shining through them.

▼ Running your hand along the cloth causes the beads to scatter and reform in beautiful multicolored designs.

[ Read in Japanese ]