Announcement of Result
During the screening process, many of the entries were neck and neck.
While at the same time, some of the works malfunctioned on the screening day due to some technical issues, although they had been operating without any problem up to the day before. This may have resulted in disappointment for some of the contestants.
This year, we had quite a number of entries and we also saw many new faces in the panel of judges. The judges had discussed the works from various perspectives including which screening criteria should be more emphasized or how to take into account the degree of public participation. At the end, we believe that exceptionally well-balanced works were selected for each award overall.
We hope the grand prize winner will be able to bring forth a superior work as a guest artist for the next year’s competition. Also, for those who exhibited their works indoors this year, we hope you will take on a challenge of outdoor exhibition next year.
In closing, we would like to thank all the participants of the award and everyone who visited the venue. We would appreciate your continued support, as we strive to spread the integration of art of light and environmental technologies from here in Yokohama to the world.
Grand Prize
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「GIFARO」 Haruka Aramaki
Concept
A lighthouse is a signal, a code, a string of words for seamen.At the same time, it feels as though it is essentially an installation that illuminates the nightscape.It has been an object that attracts people’s attention, with or without linguistic meanings of the light.If we create something that imitate the way a lighthouse emits the light, would it function as a lighthouse?
Work Overview
I focused on Yokohama and its characteristics of a port town with rich history. The idea was to symbolize Yokohama itself, which integrates a light that functions as a lighthouse and a light which has no particular meaning to people into a harmonized nightscape.
The work is located at a cape on the land and the surrounding grass represents the sea. The size of the work is the same as the artist’s actual size.I figured its size, which is not a miniature size or the actual size, might serves as an opportunity to physically capture the surrounding environment.
Award of Excellence(Indoor booth exhibition category)
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「hikarinami」 Mitsuru Takeuchi
Concept
Laser light is often considered as piercing light, but it could create a soft impression depending on how you use it.If you look at this work, you will see the laser light hitting an object and in turn the light is reflected on the floor just like waves.I hope the audience will be able to see that things have many sides to them and the ways they appear could change.
Work Overview
The lower part of the floor is normally illuminated by laser. If an object is placed on the floor, the way it illuminates changes by recognizing the location of the object.By placing the laser on an object, the strong image of laser will spread and illuminate with softer light like restless waves.
Award of Excellence(Outdoor exhibition category)
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「Encounter through lights」 Noriyuki Fujimura
Concept
A metropolis or city is a place filled with possibilities where strangers meet. Illumination and environment have been enabling these possibilities. What are the things smart illumination can further assist with? For instance, could light be a catalyst for people to encounter with others? I propose illumination that enables people to encounter with others through light by connecting minds and light.
Work Overview
A session space will be set up to allow two people to express their minds and communicate in an environment surrounded by changing illumination. Their minds, which are usually hidden behind their facial expressions, will be translated into light and become visible.
Specifically, participants will wear biometric devices on their heads to measure the degree of their concentration. More they concentrate, the brighter the illumination will light up.The illumination will have two centers of light which correspond to each participant, and the brightness of the illumination representing the two participants will overlap around the centers.
Award of Excellence
「kisoku」 Josai International University JIU media design TeamTORI
Concept
This work employs a form of interactive illumination and portrays light that has human-like elements by demonstrating a “breathing light.” The work behaves as though it is living and breathing. If someone moves closer toward the light, the illumination senses the person and changes its movement and color. A person can adjust the light according to his/her feelings and moods at that time and the light brings warmth and hopes to people by illuminating them. This work views the relationship between people and the light as an emotional connection or relationship as they bring forth expressions in the same manner. Such connection/ relationship is reflected in the proposed illumination work by incorporating human-like elements.
Work Overview
The work comprises of two pieces. Both keep repeating the motions of expansion and contraction (motion of breathing) while emitting sounds. When the work expands, the brightness of the light increases, and when the work contracts, the brightness decreases as well. The sound also changes as the size of the work changes. The work keeps making a sequence of these motions. If a person moves closer toward the work, it behaves as though it senses the person and stops making the motion of breathing or makes subdued motion. Such behaviors slightly differ between the two pieces.
Audience award
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「Yajirobe Light」 Akira Shikiya ＋ Team Zero Ampere
Concept
Countless streaks of wavering light flowing in mid-air in the dark. It is a lighted “balancing toy (Yajirobe).” Past “regrets” weigh on one side. “Hopes” for future weigh on the other side. It embraces these two ambivalent emotions while barely balancing itself and wavers on a line. How have we used the energy resources for our desires? Going forward, how should we use the energy resources to protect the future environment? We embodied this concept in a workshop-style. Participants write their “regrets” for past mistakes on one side and “hopes” for the brighter future on the other side, and put them in capsules along with their “emotions” and place them on corresponding side of the balancing toy. This work is completed by setting the balancing toys on wires installed throughout the space.
Work Overview
A simple structure is adopted by using garden lighting parts sold at 100 yen shops, which is one of the places modern consumers are willing to spend their money, and put them in gachapon capsules which children desire to have. Instead of using conventional electrical power, it only uses solar generated electricity and LED light by absorbing the sunlight during the day, and it starts illuminating once it gets dark. It balances itself in the same way as a rustic and simple “balancing toy” and randomly wavers by catching natural winds. We reflected the above-mentioned concept on the overall design used for the work.
Special Prize
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「PLA-CHUM (The Gathering of Fish)」 Mr Kittikoon Pakdeekaew [RNxD]
Concept
Yokohama, the first harbour city of Japan, where the district opens up to new culture and prosper through diversity and adopt into the urban town as it is today. With this openness characteristic, we would like to take our weaved “Pla-Ta-Pien” or the Thai’s traditional origami fish to visit Yokohama port as it is the symbol of prosperity and harmony. Wealthiness cannot last forever without the help and unity of the people who make efforts to create changes through time.
Therefore, our Pla-Ta-Pien who’s entering the Yokohama port is looking forward to the hospitality from the Hamakko so we can create spectacular experiences together. This gathering of fish will bring joy, prosperity and harmony.Work Overview
PLA-CHUM, interactive LED lighted Pla-Ta-Pien with color transitioning sequence triggered via RFID. 3 Printed and Weaved Ellipse Vinyl Backdrop, size at 180 x 180 cm. Pla-Ta-Pien ( Fish ) created with weaved translucent acetate sheet and LED light source inside, approximate size at 100 x 150cm. All objects to be stand on the floor. Participants will be given small RFID Tag Fish to use for interaction.
The Pla-Ta-Pien in the center illuminate color light in pre-designated sequences. When the participant enter the room and bring in their little fish to send signal to the big fish, the color illumination sequence would shift into another pattern and with the changed color lighting, the printed graphics would be displayed differently. With these interactive functions, the exhibition would allow the participants to create their own experience of the illumination performances.
Supported by the Agency for Cultural Affairs Government of Japan in the fiscal 2017