INTERVIEW Feyrouz Nouri
PUBLISHED 01.FEB 2025
Lüdenscheid’s identity as the “City of Lights” and its connection to the lighting industry make it a compelling place for exploring the intersection of technology, history, and art. In this interview, Tatsuru Arai shares their perspective on working with light and media, his creative process in public spaces, and how their art engages with broader societal themes:
// What interests you about being part of a light and media art project in Lüdenscheid?
Last year, I was invited to Goldstücke, organized by director Bettina, and had the opportunity to visit Gelsenkirchen for the first time. I found it fascinating as a city in the Ruhr industrial area, with its rich history rooted in industry and its ongoing transformation into a hub for art and culture. I’ve also heard that Lüdenscheid, known as the “City of Lights,” is deeply connected to the lighting industry. This adds a unique cultural layer to the town, reflecting how innovation and creativity are often shaped by a city’s industrial heritage.
// What made you decide to join this year’s LICHTROUTEN edition?
I am very grateful to director Bettina for inviting me again.It’s always exciting and inspiring to learn about the culture and society that are embedded in regional cities across Germany. Having lived in Berlin for 15 years, However, I find it particularly refreshing to explore how regional cities like Lüdenscheid embrace their local identity and contribute to Germany’s cultural landscape in their own distinctive ways. For instance, Lüdenscheid’s lighting industry not only drives technological progress but also inspires artistic endeavors, such as the LICHTROUTEN light art festival, which creatively intertwines urban space with illumination.
// How does this work connect to your broader artistic practice?
The project “Face of Universe” involves collecting photographs of flowers from around the world and exhibiting them in various cities. It began in Seoul, South Korea, in 2022 and has since been showcased in different countries around Europe and world. As part of this project, a performance piece titled “Re-solarization” has also been presented at prestigious venues such as the Philharmonie de Paris and Philharmonie Berlin.
I studied music and have discovered a sense of structural and geometric aesthetics in many classical works of the past. Similarly, I see geometric patterns in physical phenomena and cosmic events. For instance, the birth of planets and the nuclear fusion occurring within the Sun both illustrate geometric patterns—patterns that often resemble the forms of flowers. I believe that there is a shared sense of beauty inherent in these phenomena.Throughout mostly all civilizations, humans have maintained a profound connection with flowers and plants. I believe that perceiving beauty in them is both an inevitability and one of the universal themes of humanity.
// What is your process for creating art for public spaces? What challenges or opportunities does it bring?
Creating art for public spaces is a multifaceted process that begins with understanding the environment, context, and audience. I start by researching the space—its history, cultural significance, and how people interact with it. Public art needs to be in harmony with its surroundings while also provoking thought or emotion, so I strive to create a dialogue between the artwork and the space itself.Creating art for public spaces begins with deeply understanding the environment, its cultural and historical significance, and how people interact with it. In my case, flowers often become a central theme. Flowers have a universal language—they are symbols of beauty, fragility, resilience, and the passage of time. When creating art that incorporates flowers, I consider how their forms and meanings can harmonize with the space while evoking emotion and thought.
// How do you use light and media as materials in your work? What led you to explore these elements?
In my case, it is physical works, but rather digital video works that are projected or screened on LED displays. In my current project, I place emphasis on 3D experiences using wall and floor projections. For example, at Goldstücke, where I was invited by Bettina, I exhibited a work I created in the CIKE (Creative Industries Kosice) EMAP (European Media Art Platform) residency program in Kosice, Slovakia. Bettina’s team created a huge screen from the wall to the floor with fabric. We created an installation that allows you to experience the flower cells falling to the ground in a 3D-like way.
I studied composition at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler in Berlin, and my interest in visual arts comes from visualizing sound images. In my experience, when I hear sound, I visually perceive sound images and sculptures.
// What tools or technologies are part of this work? How do they support your vision?
In my work, sound and visuals are generated using systems I develop through programming, as well as AI technologies. For example, I can transform flowers into styles inspired by past paintings style. With the advent of advanced deep learning AI, I believe that the styles of past art and music are no longer just “old” or static. Instead, they have become a source of inspiration and innovation, capable of generating entirely new styles through the processing of vast amounts of information.One of the significant advantages of incorporating AI and these technologies is their ability to accumulate and analyze extensive historical and cultural data. This allows me to create works that bridge the past and the present, bringing historical aesthetics into contemporary contexts while opening up new possibilities for artistic expression. These tools not only support my vision but also expand the boundaries of what can be achieved in art.
// Where do you see light and media art heading in the future? What directions are you most interested in?
In the future, I see light and media art becoming increasingly integrated into our daily environments, blurring the boundaries between the physical and the digital. As technology continues to evolve, the potential for immersive and interactive experiences will grow, allowing artists to engage audiences in even more dynamic ways. Light, in particular, will continue to be a key element in this evolution—transforming spaces, playing with perception, and creating new emotional connections. I foresee more installations where light and media aren’t just observed but experienced as part of the environment itself, allowing the viewer to interact with and influence the artwork.
Ultimately, I believe the future of light and media art lies in its ability to transform how we experience the world around us. With advancements in technology, the boundaries between art, environment, and audience will continue to shift.
// How does your work for this festival respond to the current social or political context?
In Europe and USA, I think we are facing interconnected crises: energy/economic crisis, and political crisis exacerbated by war.These crises are leading to a profound societal division. This division is one that reflects differing views on democracy each of them. As Samuel Huntington discussed in “Who Are We” (2004), the identity crisis of the West (of which Japan is also a part)seems to be an ongoing challenge in the current crisis that we are witnessing a crisis of identity within the West, I think,we must create new forms of value of identity to include these divisions.
At the same time, in my work ”Face Of Universe”, I mention on the Earth’s ecosystems, which are sustained by the nuclear fusion of the sun. Since the birth of life on Earth, most of the matter we know has been preserved on our planet, constantly supported by the Sun’s energy. The ecosystems themselves resist entropy, the natural dispersal of energy, through a self-organizing energy that maintains life. On the other hand, the development of technology, such as AI, is progressing rapidly, consuming massive amounts of energy. To preserve the balance of our ecosystems, we must innovate in “new energy technologies” like nuclear fusion,which is vital for the future.Reflecting on the long history between humanity and nature, I believe the key lies in balancing the energy produced by both nature and science.
// How do you balance artistic expression with engaging societal themes when creating public art?
When creating public art, balancing artistic expression with engaging societal themes is both a challenge and an opportunity. The beauty of public art is its accessibility—it reaches a diverse audience, and it can provoke reflection on broader societal issues. To achieve this balance, I start by deeply considering the context of the space and the issues that resonate with the community. Public art has the power to engage people in conversations that are often bigger than the work itself—whether they relate to identity, nature, technology, or social divides.
// What do you hope viewers will feel or think when they experience your work?
When viewers experience my work, I hope they will feel a sense of connection—both to the artwork itself and to the broader themes it explores. I want them to feel immersed in the interaction between nature, technology, and history. For example, when they see projections of flowers or ecosystems, I hope they will reflect on the delicate balance between the natural world and the technological advancements we’re rapidly developing. I want them to consider how these forces shape our environment, our identity, and even our future.
Ultimately, I want my work to encourage a sense of shared experience,one that transcends cultural, political, and social divides, offering viewers an opportunity to reflect on both the beauty and the complexities of the world and Universe.