The Way of the Sea: Flying Beyond Borders

teamLab, 2018-, Interactive Digital Installation, Endless, Sound: Hideaki Takahashi

The Way of the Sea: Flying Beyond Borders

teamLab, 2018-, Interactive Digital Installation, Endless, Sound: Hideaki Takahashi

The work begins when a shoal of fish emerges from a space.
The fish swim freely, transcending the boundaries of other works, and influencing other works. Then, when they enter another space they continue as a new artwork.
When people touch a shoal of fish, the fish are dyed a color unique to that person.

There is a Zen saying, “The way of the bird”, which refers to the fact that unlike a human path, the path of the bird is not fixed. The path of the bird is free, unfettered, and leaves no trace.

The movement of thousands or tens of thousands of fish is beautiful and mysterious, like a single giant life form. It is said that the groups have no leader or communication, and operate according to simple rules such as moving when their neighbors move. However, the physiological mechanism by which this phenomenon occurs, almost simultaneously in groups of hundreds of individuals, is shrouded in mystery. It feels as if there is a universal principle that humans do not yet understand. The appearance of the group as a whole has no collective will. Each animal moves according to primitive rules while being influenced by the presence of people, creating a complex and beautiful whole.