Ryoichi Kurokawi is a Japanese artist that lives in Berlin, Germany. He focuses on a variety of multimedia forms in particular focussing on the link between sound and image and digitally generated structures. He has exhibited work at the Tate Modern, Sonar (ES) and Venice Biennale amongst others and recently won the Golden Nica at Prix Ars Electronica in the Digital Musics & Sound Art category.

Mol, 2012 Installation Concert

What interests me in particular regarding his work is the “…interactive experience. Something where audio and visual are in complete unison.” (Kurokawi, 2013). His art explores a variety of senses. The work Kurokawi produces “focuses on two main axes in his work–the re-use of nature, and synesthetic experience–to strike awe in viewers with highly innovative digitally generated structures, field recordings, and perception-warping installations.”

“Ground (2011) appears like a still image within the animated sequence, as the transitions from one motion to the next are slurred and extended. The fragmented images and sounds spark tension and underscore that this work was inspired by the battle grounds of the Middle East during war time. Even if such terrain is not scenic, it’s still a natural setting upset by violence.” (Sokol, 2013)

Sirens 2012

Sirens 2012 is a combination of a variety of images of animals including elks, birds, horses and more into digitised ghosts, which are combined with sound to create “ghost images”. If the viewer moves, the creatures vanish. This integrates interactive elements within the design.

Oscillating Continuum (2013), Audiovisual sculpture

“This is not about having some sort of message…” Kurokawi told The Creators Project (above video), the art is all about “…providing an interactive experience. Something where audio and visual are in complete unison.”

I feel incredibly inspired by Ryoichi Kurokawi’s work and hope the piece that I eventually produce will fit up alongside the work he produces.

• The Creators Project, 2014. Synesthetic Sensory Stimulation With Ryoichi Kurokawa. [online] Available at: <www.thecreatorsproject.vice.com/blog/video-sensory-overload-with> [Accessed 09 February 2014].
• Ryoichi Kurokawa, 2014. Ryoichi Kurokawa. [online] Available at: <www.ryoichikurokawa.com> [Accessed 06 February 2014].