So far, 2011 hasn’t been Japan’s year. Between the wreckage caused by the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit the island nation this March, not to mention the subsequent nuclear reactor meltdown in Fukushima, they’ve had more than their fair share of tragedies to contend with. While relief aid organizations and charitable individuals have been sending food, water, and other essentials to help the country deal with the disasters, the folks behind the Lucerne Festival and Kajimoto have initiated a project that will feed the population’s soul in this time of crisis.Commissioning architect Arata Isozaki and sculptor Anish Kapoor, the two talents are collaborating on an inflatable concert hall venue to be completed by Spring 2012. The mobile performance structure, titled ARK NOVA – A Tribute to Higashi Nihon, will be transported and utilized to stage music and dance performances for victims of the natural disasters. The project hopes to “use music to bring hope and promise to those who are suffering” by providing a performance space that can accommodate up to 700 individuals.Current designs for the venue are modeled largely after Kapoor’s Leviathan installation, a colossal 4-armed, womb-like, red balloon chamber where Creator DJ Richie Hawtin performed earlier this year in a collaboration with Kapoor for The Creators Project Red 2011 event. Using a similar elastic red skin, ARK NOVA will be designed to minimize set up and dismantling time, cost, and manpower.
Massive crowds gathered at Hawtin’s DJ performance outside of Kapoor’s Leviathan sculpture in Paris, France earlier this year.Isozaki is working closely with Kapoor to manipulate and construct the venue’s shell, focusing on optimizing functionality. Creative collaborators also include Yasuhisa Toyota from Nagata Acoustics, responsible for the mobile structure’s acoustic design, and David Staples from Theatre Projects in London, the project’s specialist theatre consultant.The mobile venue will provide an epic platform for performances, encompassing classical music, jazz, dance, multimedia and interdisciplinary artistic projects by leading artists and ensembles from around the world. Performance costs will be supported by sponsors, allowing free access to victims of the affected regions. ARK NOVA intends to not only serve as a platform for performances but also as a meeting place for individuals to find inspiration and hope, contributing towards a path of normalcy for those affected.
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