Ryoji Ikeda: superposition

In his new production entitled “superposition,” Ryoji Ikeda looks into our understanding of nature on an atomic scale, based on and inspired by his findings in the field of quantum maths and mechanics.
The principle of “superposition” describes a challenging concept about the nature and behavior of matter and forces at the sub-atomic level: while we do not know what the state of any particle is at any given time, it is in all possible states simultaneously. Ikeda makes the most of this particular characteristic to create a striking performance piece where sound, visuals, physics, mathematical concepts, human behavior and randomness are combined and rearranged.

For the first time ever, performers will appear on stage to carry out a score influenced by various creative artforms such as music, dance and semiotics alongside video work shown live on a grand total of 21 screens.

Concept, composition and artistic direction: Ryoji Ikeda
Performers: Stéphane Garin, Amélie Grould
Graphic design, programming: Tomonaga Tokuyama, Norimichi Hirakawa, Yoshito Onishi
Architectural design assistance: Daisuke Sekine
Technical direction: Simon MacColl
Technical coordination: Tomonaga Tokuyama

Created in residence at ZKM | Karlsruhe

World première at the Centre Pompidou - Festival dʼAutomne à Paris, 14−16 November 2012

Music commissioned by Festival dʼAutomne, Paris

Created and developed at EPPGH La Villette (Paris, FR), YCAM Yamaguchi Center for Arts and media (JP) and ZKM | Karlsruhe

Production: Ryoji Ikeda Studio, Quaternaire, Forma

Coproduction: Festival d’Automne à Paris (FR), Les Spectacles vivants-Centre Pompidou (Paris, FR), Concertgebouw (Bruges, BE), Festival de Marseille (FR), EPPGH La Villette (Paris, FR), Kyoto Experiment (JP), ZKM (Karlsruhe, DE), Barbican (London, UK)
With the support of the DICRéAM-CNC