Hiroaki Umeda^JP

Hiroaki Umeda has transformed his dance performance Intensional Particle into an online version. In this piece choreographer and multidisciplinary artist Umeda reinterprets the particles in space as not static molecules but rather as ‘active particles (or, mass points)’; and, visualizes, in space, the ‘intensional force’ that particles conceal.

Hiroaki Umeda — Intensional Particle VR

Hiroaki Umeda is a choreographer and a multidisciplinary artist recognized as one of the leading figures of the Japanese avant-garde art scene. Since the launch of his company S20, his subtle yet violent dance pieces have toured around the world to critical acclaim. Umeda is renown for his highly holistic artistic methodology with strong digital background, which considers not only physical elements as dance, but also optical, sensorial and, above all, spatiotemporal components as part of the choreography. Based on his profound interest in choreographing time and space, Umeda has spread his talent not only as a choreographer and dancer, but also as a composer, lighting designer, scenographer and visual artist.

When waterfalls and rivers are seen from afar, they seem to maintain static forms; yet, when one zooms into the same objects in a microscopic level, it is noticeable that they consist of ceaseless motions such as swells, waves, vortex and crosscurrents. In this VR adaptation of his dance performance Intensional Particle, Umeda reinterprets the particles in space as not static molecules but rather as ‘active particles (or, mass points)’; and, visualises, in space, the ‘intensional force’ that particles conceal.