Listening to lecture about MUJO, I was quote moved by how this multimedia performance piece explores the concept of impermanence through multiple artistic dimensions. The work masterfully integrates dance, projection mapping, and sound in the desert landscape to create a profound meditation on the lasting nature of existence.
The decision to use desert dunes as both stage and canvas is particularly fascinating. The natural formation and erosion of sand dunes serves as a perfect metaphor for the piece’s central theme of impermanence, mirroring the way human experiences and emotions constantly shift and transform. The digital projections that create abstract dunes over real ones cleverly amplify this concept, creating a dialogue between the natural and the digital.
What makes MUJO especially compelling is its dual existence as both a live desert performance and a multi-channel installation. The installation version demonstrates how site-specific art can be thoughtfully adapted for different contexts while maintaining its core message. The multi-channel approach in the installation allows for a more fragmented and intimate exploration of the body’s relationship with elemental forces.
The collaboration between choreographer Kiori Kawai and multimedia artist Aaron Sherwood shows significant effort. The dancers’ movements, as they climb and descend the dunes, physically embody the struggle with constant change, while the immersive soundscape and visuals reinforce this theme. The technical aspects – from projection mapping to sound design – don’t merely serve as technicalities but actively participate in the narrative.
The work draws fascinating parallels between the impermanence of natural phenomena and human existence. Just as sand particles come together to form dunes only to be reshaped by wind, the piece suggests our bodies and thoughts are similarly temporary mediums. This Buddhist-influenced perspective on impermanence is expressed not just conceptually but through every artistic choice in the performance.
Additionally, having an opportunity to ask questions from their direct experience was very helpful as we were able to see not only the steps taken by them but what kind of hindrances they were challenged with throughout. Overcoming those obstacles, whether they are technological limitations or artistic was very interesting to learn and hear about.
(https://www.aaron-sherwood.com/works/mujo/)