“Experience the Art of Sound and Time: Ryuichi Sakamoto Exhibition Everyone’s Talking About”

Written by ART Driven Tokyo

The exhibition “Ryuichi Sakamoto |seeing sound, hearing time” is currently being held at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo until March 30, 2025. This is the first solo exhibition in Japan to showcase large-scale installation works by Ryuichi Sakamoto (1952-2023), one of Japan’s most renowned composer and a globally acclaimed artist. Beyond music, Sakamoto’s works integrate space and visual elements, offering a rare opportunity to experience his artistic and philosophical world through installations, including previously unreleased new works.

Meet Sakamoto’s new work! What are the highlights?

■ Highlights

Here are five key points to enhance your experience at the exhibition, curated from ART Driven Tokyo’s unique perspective. Use these as a reference when visiting.

1) Ryuichi Sakamoto + Shiro Takatani: The Beauty of the Invisible

The collaborative works of Ryuichi Sakamoto and media artist Shiro Takatani explore the beauty of the unseen. Notably, “IS YOUR TIME,” which features a piano affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake, expresses the flow of time and the fragility of memory through sound and visuals.

2) Music for Another World: “async” – Immersive Installations

Sakamoto’s 2017 album “async” was an experimental work, distinct from film score and pop, themed around “music for another world.” This exhibition features installations such as “async–volume“ and “async–immersion tokyo,” allowing visitors to experience how sound resonates and transforms within space.

3) Collaborations with World-Class Artists

Throughout his life, Sakamoto collaborated with various artists. The exhibition showcases works created with renowned international and Japanese artists such as Carsten Nicolai (musician, visual artist) and Daito Manabe (programmer, artist).

4) A New Musical Experience – Interactive Outdoor Works

The exhibition extends beyond indoor galleries to include outdoor installations. These works, which integrate fog, light, and sound, provide an experience that transcends time and space.

5) Artistic Vision for the Future

Sakamoto was not only a musician but also deeply engaged with environmental and social issues, using art to convey messages to the world. This exhibition reflects on his creative journey while exploring new possibilities for artistic expression in the future. A fusion of music and visual arts, technology and nature.

■ Exhibition Details

Ryuichi Sakamoto | seeing sound, hearing time

Dates: December 21, 2024 – March 30, 2025

Venue: Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo

Online Tickets: https://www.e-tix.jp/mot/

Official Website: https://www.mot-art-museum.jp

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to immerse yourself in Ryuichi Sakamoto‘s artistic world of sound and time.