Prometheus the Fire-Bringer, by Meiro Koizumi
Event Slider
Date
Location
Gulbenkian GardenContinuous sessions of 27 minutes. Last entry at 17:30. You can purchase a pass that includes both parts of the trilogy for 10€ at the box office.
When humans succeed to transplant the retina cell of a butterfly into the human retina, they acquire an ability to perceive lights that only butterflies could perceive. Now, the entire world is outlined by new lights and new shadows, which revolutionises people’s experience of being and deeply transforms them.
Immersed in Koizumi’s VR experience, through which a blurring of the outlines of the body occurs, the audience is led into feeling that one is part of a collective body consisting of many other bodies, and experience a tale of transformation in what it means to be human.
It is an on-going process that technologies are triggering big changes in our instinct. The image of the fire brought by Prometheus represents the strength of human civilization and progress through technology.
Today, the challenge of art is to create another kind of image of the fire and the technology. ‘Prometheus the Fire-Bringer’ attempts to plant a small imaginative seeds in our unconscious mind, to transform the aggressive nature of the human instinct into a gentler one, and ultimately be better post-humans.
Each person will immerse themselves in the virtual reality experience independently through a Head-Mounted Display. Six people can experience the work at the same time.
Artist Meiro Koizumi also brings to Lisbon another part of this trilogy – ‘Prometheus Unbound‘ -, presented at the Studio. You can purchase a pass that includes both parts of the trilogy for 10€ at the box office.
Engawa – A Season of Contemporary Art from Japan
‘Engawa’ is a programming that brings to Lisbon a set of creators from Japan and the Japanese diaspora, many of them for the first time in Portugal. More info
Biographies
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Meiro Koizumi
Meiro Koizumi (b. Gunma, Japan, 1976) is an artist who blends reality and fiction in experimental videos and performances that explore the relationships between the State, the collective, and the individual, as well as the human body and its emotions. In recent years, he has presented numerous works that incorporate AR/VR technology into performance questioning the future of humanity. His works have been presented in numerous biennales and museums and are included in public collections worldwide. Koizumi attended the Chelsea College of Art and Design, London (1999-2002) as well as the Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten, Amsterdam (2005-2006).
Credits
Main image
Meiro Koizumi, still from 'Prometheus the Fire-Bringer', 2023 © Meiro Koizumi
Concept and Direction
Meiro Koizumi
VR Effects
Katsuya Taniguchi (Rhino Studios)
Assistant Director
Wataru Koyama
Stage Manager
Marie Moriyama
Production Manager
Sayuri Fujii
Curator
Chiaki Soma
Production
Theater Commons Tokyo, Meiro Koizumi
Support
JST Keio Spring “Nurturing of doctoral students who will map the grand designs for future society” Core Program Arts/Design/Communication
Production for Lisbon
Technical Manager
So Ozaki
Stage Manager
Marie Moriyama
VR Manager
Ichiro Awazu
Production Manager
Sayuri Fujii
Tour Management
Sachi Abe
Production
bench Co.
Co-operation
Arts Commons Tokyo, MUJIN-TO Production (Tokyo), Annet Gelink Gallery (Amsterdam)
Support
Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan through the Japan Arts Council
Support
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