Music Loves Art in Summer Sonic 2022

Supported by National Agency of Culture for Cultures of Japan, the first attempt to have art projects collaborating with Summer Sonic, one of the largest outdoor music festival in Japan held in Makuhari, located in the suburb of Tokyo, attracted many visitors in 22nd and 23rd of August, 2022. Five artists were involved to present works and installations during the event.

At the beach of Makuhari, artist Leandro Erlich presented an installation made of sand. The work entitled "Traffic Jam" was consisted of 40 cars made of sand. The work reminded us of an excavation site found accidently on a beach by human kind few hundred years later from today. Seeing the installation, we were frightened to notice how people in the future would think of us living in this 21st Century. Traffic Jam may be a metaphor of the global climate changes of our century. Ocean may gradually rise to hide our coastline, and people in the future may discover something of our period, a trace how people in 21st century damaged the earth. when they recovered the ozone Layer. The "Stop Sign" in the work may be a warning for us all.

Three large scale sculptures by Teppei Kaneuji were exhibited along Marine Stadium. The works were very characteristic to the artist, citing images taken from comics and magazines and combining them to make three dimensional sculpture. The small images found in popular culture have been bloated like modern icons, towering like monuments the symbolize our present age. In the past, we human beings have made various icons such as sphinx and heroes of the war as icons of their time. What will be the icon that symbolizes our time? Thirty years ago, we could not have imagined that comics and anime would receive such an international attention. Each of us conjure up different items as symbols of the 21st Century. But in reality something we did not expect of may end up as an icon. Teppei Kaneuji's works seem to highlight an example of the legacy of this century. Whether we allow it or not, the symbol may not depend on our expectations. Teppei Kaneuji(s works may be the our Eiffel Tower or the Washington Monument.

Other artists in "Music Loves Art in Summer Sonic 2022", were Kenta Cobayashi, Mayumi Hosokura and Ina Jang.

Kenta Cobayashi redesigned the entry gate to the stadium to turn it into an artwork. Panels with complex shapes were placed all over the given gate truss. Hosaka and Ina Jang installed their works in the corridor of Makuhari Messe.

Tickets for the Summer Sonic 2022 which had been on sale in advance were already sold out several months ago before the opening. Therefore, it was a pity that art fans were not able to see artworks . On the contrary, it was a good opportunity for music fans who may not frequently have chances to see art. Visitors at least were enjoying to encounter objects which we have not seen before.

Overall information of the event: https://www.summersonic.com/en/news/220801-2/