teamLab impresses with interactive show

EDWIN BACASMAS

Staying true to its overall mission of bringing art closer to more people, Ayala Land, through its largest eco-city Nuvali estate, has partnered with world-renowned teamLab in creating a first-of-its-kind water show in the country.

Nuvali teamLab Water is a 30-minute interactive water show that is expected to leave its audience in awe. Make sure not to get too carried away as you just might jump in the water.

“Art is close to the heart of the Ayala Group,” said Nuvali general manager John R. Estacio. “This is part of Ayala Land’s commitment to community-building, by promoting art.”

“Since we are more of a new urban area, we wanted to explore a different form of art. For this one we sort of stumbled into digital,” Estacio added.

Get ready to reel in the big fish during the “teamLab Interactive Fishing Party.” —EDWIN BACASMAS

Tokyo-based digital art collective teamLab has had multiple exhibitions all around the world since beginning in 2001. It has mounted immersive art shows in New York, London, Paris, Singapore, Silicon Valley Beijing, Taipei, and Melbourne among others. teamLab is behind the world’s first digital art museum Mori Building Digital Art Museum: teamLab Borderless in Odaiba, Tokyo; the massive body immersive space teamLab Planets Tokyo in Toyosu, Tokyo; and Singapore’s largest interactive digital playground, Future World: Where Art Meets Science.

First of its kind

Nuvali teamLab Water is the country’s first ever interactive water show and it promises to delight everyone, from kids to the kids-at-heart. The year-round show is set up at the Globe Lakeside in Ayala Land’s first and largest eco-city.

“For Nuvali, we wanted to explore the uniqueness of the land. The lake entry feature is quite unique for us so we wanted to highlight that and we wanted a light show in water,” shared Estacio.

According to Estacio, what most people have seen from teamLab are projections on solid surfaces. While the group has done some with water, Estacio said Nuvali teamLab Water is quite unique owing to its size. The entire water screen on which teamLab’s artworks will be projected is about 100 meters wide and 15 meters high.

Aside from partnering with teamLab, Nuvali engaged the best in the Philippines to construct the water pump system that was needed for the 30-minute water show.

Born from the Water, a Loving and Beautiful World—TEAMLAB

Nuvali teamLab Water features four different artworks, two of which are interactive. Visitors are suggested to download the free Nuvali teamLab Water app on their smartphones to take part in the exhibits.

Interactive shows

“Born from the Water, a Loving and Beautiful World” lets you select your favorite characters on the app, swipe them towards the water screen and see how those characters create a single world with all the others. The “teamLab Interactive Fishing Party” will see you spinning your smartphone like a fishing reel and, with your fellow spectators, work together to catch the various fish that “live” in the pond.

teamLab’s communications director Takashi Kudo assures that one can still enjoy the show even without downloading the app although he encourages everyone to participate.

Expect to be mesmerized and blown away by the two art exhibitions—Water Scrolls: Genpei Yashima Battle and Reversible Rotation in Water.

Reversible Rotation in Water—TEAMLAB

“Imagination and creativity have no limitations. Everybody has some kind of potential to create some things,” said teamLab’s Kudo. “If somebody is inspired and wanted to do something (like this) in the Philippines, the world can be much more positive and much more happier, and that is what we want.”

Flock to Nuvali’s Globe Lakeside during weekends as the sun sets to experience teamLab’s first major exhibit in the country. Nuvali teamLab Water happens from Friday to Sunday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.