Immersive audio-visual installation Shiki & Kū premieres at VIVO Media Arts Centre, September 13 to 28

Soundscape artist Yota Kobayashi draws on Japanese symbolism in co-presentation by VIVO Media Arts Centre and Formscape Arts

SPONSORED POST BY Vancouver New Music

Still shot of Shiki & Kū, 2025.

Still shot of Shiki & Kū, 2025.

Shiki & Kū, a large-scale immersive audio-visual installation by Vancouver-based soundscape artist Yota Kobayashi, will be on view at VIVO Media Arts Centre from September 13 to 28. Co-presented by VIVO Media Arts and Formscape Arts in partnership with Vancouver New Music and IM4 Media Lab, the exhibition brings together international artists and collaborators to explore the dynamic tension between form and emptiness.

Rooted in the Japanese concepts of shiki (form) and kū (emptiness), Shiki & Kū is composed of two distinct but interconnected works. The 2022 piece Kūsou incorporates Aiko Hatanaka’s Japanese calligraphy and flutist Mark McGregor’s acoustic and electronic soundscapes, rendered through multichannel projection and spatialized sound. Its counterpart is 2025’s Shinshiki, which draws inspiration from ancient Japanese animism and sacred spaces; it features symbolic visuals by Tokyo-based artist Ryo Kanda (Kezzardrix) and music by acclaimed Italian string ensemble Quartetto Maurice.

Still shot of Shiki & Kū, 2025.

Both works were developed in close consultation with Japanese historian Rurihiko Hara and integrate research on spiritual and cultural aesthetics from across time and place. They employ spatial sound, real-time generative visuals, and cultural symbolism to guide audiences through contemplative environments enhanced by tradition. These immersive works invite audiences to engage deeply with presence, perception, and cultural symbolism in a shared experiential space.

Kūsou draws on 160 pieces of Japanese calligraphy and 665 phrases of Western flute as sources. While Japanese calligraphy has historically functioned as a means of communication, it is equally a visual artform that can be appreciated without comprehension of the Japanese language. Shinshiki’s primary sound sources are Western string instruments, while its visual elements are drawn from ancient Japanese animistic contexts.

Still shot of Shiki & Kū, 2025.

Through real-time computer graphics in both Kūsou and Shinshiki, visual sources appear as dynamic 3D objects and events onscreen. They are then rendered spatially throughout the exhibit space, creating a continuously transforming scenery.

An artist talk for Shiki & Kū will take place on September 13 from 2 pm to 4 pm, followed by an opening reception from 5 pm to 8 pm. A lecture and demo will take place September 14 from 11 am to 2 pm.

Learn more about the installation here.

Post sponsored by Vancouver New Music.

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