Prometheus the Fire-Bringer, by Meiro Koizumi

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‘Prometheus Trilogy’ (2019-2023) is a poetic virtual reality (VR) retelling of the Greek myth by artist Meiro Koizumi. In its final chapter, humans have become entirely different beings through a small bio-technological operation, in a mythical future in which people, technology and nature dissolve into one another.

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


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

The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation reserves the right to collect and keep records of images, sounds and voice for the diffusion and preservation of the memory of its cultural and artistic activity. For further information, please contact us through the Information Request form.

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