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Opening Reception: September 13, 2025 5-8 PM (Artist talk: 2-4 PM)
Exhibition Hours: Tue–Fri: 1–9 PM // Sat & Sun: 12-6 PM
Closed Mondays
Shiki & Kū, a large-scale immersive audio-visual installation by Vancouver-based soundscape artist Yota Kobayashi, will be on view at VIVO Media Arts Centre from September 13 to 28, 2025. Co-presented by VIVO Media Arts and Formscape Arts, in partnership with Vancouver New Music and IM4 Media Lab, the exhibition brings together international artists and collaborators to explore the dynamic tension between form and emptiness.
Rooted in the Japanese concepts of shiki (form) and kū (emptiness), Shiki & Kū is composed of two distinct but interconnected works:
Both works were developed in close consultation with Japanese historian Rurihiko Hara and integrate research on spiritual and cultural aesthetics from across time and place.
Each work employs spatial sound, real-time generative visuals, and cultural symbolism to guide audiences through contemplative environments where visual language, sound, and tradition intertwine. These immersive works invite audiences to engage deeply with presence, perception, and cultural symbolism in a shared experiential space.
The project spans Canada, Italy, and Japan, with contributions from a diverse team of artists and collaborators:
Studio Programsounds
Project website: https://formscape.art/
Shiki & Kū is co-presented by VIVO Media Arts Centre and Formscape Arts, in partnership with Vancouver New Musicand IM4 Media Lab, with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, UBC School of Music, UBC ICICS, and Epson, and developed with the participation of the British Columbia Arts Council, Creative BC and the Province of BC.
VIVO is located in the homelands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples in a warehouse space at 2625 Kaslo Street south of East Broadway at the end of E 10th. Transit line 9 stops at Kaslo Street on Broadway. From the bus stop, the path is paved, curbless, and on a slight decline. The closest skytrain station is Renfrew Station, which is three blocks south-east of VIVO and has an elevator. From there, the path is paved, curbless, and on a slight incline. There is parking available at VIVO, including wheelchair access parking. There is a bike rack at the entrance. The front entrance leads indoors to a set of 7 stairs to the lobby.
A wheelchair ramp is located at the west side of the main entrance. The ramp has two runs: the first run is 20 feet long, and the second run is 26 feet. The ramp is 60 inches wide. The slope is 1:12. The ramp itself is concrete and has handrails on both sides. There is an outward swinging door (34 inch width) at the top of the ramp leading to a vestibule. A second outward swinging door (33 inch width) opens into the exhibition space. Buzzers and intercoms are located at both doors to notify staff during regular office hours or events to unlock the doors. Once unlocked, visitors can use automatic operators to open the doors.
There are two all-gender washrooms. One has a stall and is not wheelchair accessible. The other is a single room with a urinal and is wheelchair accessible: the door is 33 inches wide and inward swinging, without automation. The toilet has 11 inch clearance on the left side and a handrail.
To reach the bathrooms from the studio, exit through the double doors and proceed straight through the lobby and down the hall . Turn left, and the two bathrooms will be on your right side. The closest one has a stall and is not wheelchair accessible. The far bathroom is accessible.
Yota Kobayashi is a soundscape artist specializing in the creation of immersive and interactive soundscapes for audio-visual installations through an integrated practice of sound production, composition, and software development.
He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in composition from the University of British Columbia (2018), with a research focus on developing interactive music performance systems. Since 2019, he has worked at the Vancouver Art Gallery as an Audio-Visual Research Engineer, conducting R&D projects focused on emerging audio-visual and interactive technologies for art installations and performances.
His research on human-computer interaction for experiential artwork has been supported by SSHRC, UBC/ICICS, the Canada Council for the Arts, Creative BC, the British Columbia Arts Council, and the National Association of Japanese Canadians. His works have been presented internationally at festivals, conferences, and exhibitions. Notable awards include First Prize at Musica Nova (2008, 2009, Czech Republic) and First Prize at the Concours Internazionale Luigi Russolo (2010, Italy).
Ryo Kanda (a.k.a. Kezzardrix) is a computer graphics and visual artist based in Tokyo, Japan, specializing in generative visual expression through programming. His work spans live visual performances, music videos, theatre productions, media installations, digital signage, and software development, both in Japan and internationally. He is also active as a member of the black metal unit VMO and HEPIXELS, a visual art project with Satoru Higa. Since 2016, Kanda has been part of INT, the creative division of HIP LAND MUSIC. His accolades include the Award of Distinction at Ars Electronica 2016.
Aiko Hatanaka (a.k.a. Sumifutten) is a Tokyo-based Japanese calligrapher whose practice merges traditional calligraphy with contemporary design. She began studying calligraphy at the age of five and gradually developed a focus on integrating calligraphy with typography and visual design. Alongside her work as a stylist and advertising designer, she deepened her calligraphic practice, eventually establishing herself as an independent calligraphy artist and designer.
She works under the name “Sumifutten,” meaning “the boiling point of sumi ink,” reflecting her pursuit of passionate, expressive design. Her work has been featured in numerous exhibitions and interdisciplinary projects, including the stage backdrop for the theatre production Summer of the Kishi Family (2011) and the installation Words around ‘FLY’ at Royal Park Hotel The Haneda, located within Haneda International Airport (2014).
Mark Takeshi McGregor is a flutist, chamber musician, and improviser based in Vancouver, on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Peoples. Known for his “mind-blowing” performances and “huge physical energy” (Times Colonist), he is principal flutist with Aventa Ensemble, Sound of Dragon, and Vancouver Intercultural Orchestra, and has performed across five continents.
As a soloist and ensemble musician, McGregor has appeared with groups such as the Victoria Symphony, Little Giant Chinese Chamber Orchestra (Taiwan), and Aventa Ensemble. His collaborations include leading composers like Michael Finnissy, Heiner Goebbels, Philippe Leroux, Nicole Lizée, and Rolf Wallin. He is deeply committed to expanding the Canadian flute repertoire, a dedication recognized with the Friends of Canadian Music Award (2021).
A prolific recording artist, McGregor’s work appears on Centrediscs and Redshift Records. His album Lutalica, featuring solo flute works by Pacific Rim composers, earned him the 2020 Western Canadian Music Award for Classical Artist/Ensemble of the Year. Since 2021, he has served as Artistic Director of the Queer Arts Festival + SUM gallery, a major platform for 2SLGBTQIA+ artists in Canada.
Quartetto Maurice — Georgia Privitera (violin), Laura Bertolino (violin), Francesco Vernero (viola), and Aline Privitera (cello) — is an Italian string quartet known for its bold exploration of contemporary music and integration of electronics. Since its formation in 2002, the Quartet has placed 20th and 21st-century music at the core of its repertoire, collaborating with leading composers including Márta and György Kurtág, Helmut Lachenmann, Beat Furrer, and Chaya Czernowin.
Their 4+1 Project, which treats electronics as a fifth ensemble member, reflects their commitment to redefining chamber music for today’s soundscape. Their performances have appeared at major festivals including the Venice Biennale, November Music (Netherlands), Tzlil Meudcan (Israel), and the New Music Festival (Canada). The Quartet’s recordings include works by Fausto Romitelli, Silvia Borzelli, and Luigi Nono, and their work has been recognized with the Franco Abbiati Italian Music Critics Award and the Kranichsteiner Stipendium Preis (Darmstadt).
Photo by: Sophie-Anne Herin
Rurihiko Hara is Associate Professor at Shizuoka University’s Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and School of Regional Development. He is also a board member of the general incorporated association hO. His research focuses on Japanese gardens, Noh, and Kyogen.
Hara completed his doctorate at the University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences in 2020. His recent publications include Suhama-ron (On Suhama, Sakuhin-sha, 2023) and Nihon Teien o Meguru: Dezitaru Ākaibu no Kanōsei (Walking Around Japanese Gardens: The Potential of Digital Archives, Hayakawa Shobō, 2023).
In 2024, he received both the 74th Minister of Education, Culture, Sports and Technology’s Art Encouragement Prize for New Artists and the 15th Association for Studies of Culture and Representation Encouragement Prize for Suhama-ron. His work also extends to performance, having served as dramaturge for Life-Well, a Noh collaboration by Ryuichi Sakamoto, Mansai Nomura, and Shiro Takatani (2013), as well as the ongoing Okina Project (2020–).
