Oki!
Our class was given the great opportunity to produce some content for the Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden’s Kamakura (Igloo) Projection Dome.
After studying the space to learn more about how it worked – from the atmosphere and viewing experience, to certain visual effects and techniques that worked well – we all gained a better understanding of what content strategies were successful, and imagined what else could be successful within that unique space. I was personally fascinated by how certain effects made the projection surface appear like a threshold between us and a different world, like some thin piece of cloth that could be blown in the wind or even pushed or tugged at by someone or something on the other side. There was great potential for illusory 3D effects in that environment, and that was something that I wanted to explore more in my project from early on.
To get us started, we drew inspiration from a feeling that we wanted to explore and express. My inspiration was that of peace or serenity – which may have stemmed from spending time at Nikka Yuko’s calm and beautiful grounds – even with all the snow and cold at the time. This also inspired me to explore some traditional Japanese themes. Listening to a flag gently rustle in the wind as small birds sing nearby, taking ink to paper and watching it take new forms on the page, sitting by a pond and watching the coy slowly meander, imagining the smell of a cherry blossom as their petals dance by in the breeze. While these themes and feelings were inspirational, this project – much like the other projects in this class – was also that of adventure and exploration, imagining ways to create content in new, interesting, and exciting ways – within new, interesting, and exciting environments. And so, I aimed to strike a balance between the two, taking these serene themes and expressing them in unique ways, married together with music.
I hope you enjoyed it! If you want to view this piece along with my colleague’s work, at the time of writing, they are still being shown at the Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden.