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Art Without Boundaries: The Latest teamLab Borderless at Azabudai Hills
2024-02-29

Art Without Boundaries: The Latest teamLab Borderless at Azabudai Hills

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Renowned globally for its mesmerizing digital sound and light art, teamLab has become a pivotal attraction for both local and international visitors. Originally established in Odaiba, teamLab Borderless closed its doors in August 2022, only to be reborn within the newly unveiled Azabudai Hills shopping complex in late 2023, officially reopening on February 9, 2024.

In its latest iteration, teamLab Borderless introduces an innovative update that leverages cutting-edge CG light and sound technology, inviting visitors to immerse themselves in an enchanting world unlike any before. Distinct from the themes explored at teamLab Planets in Toyosu, this new experience promises a unique adventure, ensuring that even those familiar with Toyosu will find fresh wonder and excitement.

Getting There

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Reaching teamLab Borderless is straightforward. Simply take the Hibiya Line to Kamiyacho Station. Use Exit 5 upon arrival, and you'll find yourself at the doorstep of Azabudai Hills, adjacent to the station. Signage directing you to teamLab's entrance will be immediately visible.

Should you find yourself disoriented or at a different exit, don't worry. Just search for signs pointing towards the GARDEN PLAZA C building. From there, head down to the basement.

Cool Entrance

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The entrance to teamLab Borderless sets the stage for excitement, featuring ingeniously designed lettering that creates the illusion of floating words. There's no need to worry about missing the entrance—the signage is impressively large and unmistakable. From a side view, the letters appear as long lines crafted to give a dimensional effect, yet this intriguing depth is perceptible from every angle.

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Conveniently located at the front, visitors will find locker facilities for storing personal belongings. Additionally, a welcoming team of staff is on hand to facilitate ticket checks. Simply present the QR code sent via email prior to the event, and you'll be able to scan your ticket for immediate access into this immersive world. Reserve your tickets here.

Art without Boundaries

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Visitors familiar with the previous teamLab Borderless exhibition in Odaiba will recall its unique approach to art presentation—artwork displayed in a 360-degree format, with no prescribed viewing path, allowing for free exploration. The exhibition's dynamic nature means that artworks evolve over time; a return to a previously visited spot might reveal entirely new pieces, different from what was seen before.

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Interactivity is a key feature, with certain works responding to and even changing with the visitor's movements. For instance, butterflies in a specific area appear to follow you as you walk, among other elements that only reveal themselves through engagement. This creates an immersive experience akin to stepping into an intangible world of art, where the freedom to feel and interact with the artwork transports you into a realm of imagination, paralleling real-world experiences. It's an environment where art and observer coexist, communicating across different dimensions.

Flutter of Butterflies Beyond Borders, Dying and Dissolving into the World

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Within this space, visitors are greeted by a display of colorful, luminous butterflies that animate the room and screens. These digital creatures flutter in flocks, gracefully evading those who come too close, yet inviting playful interaction.

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Touching the butterflies on the walls triggers a stunning transformation, as they cascade down in a digital waterfall, showcasing the tangible interactivity of this digital artwork. This piece not only offers a tactile experience but also seamlessly connects with adjacent spaces, embodying teamLab's vision of boundless art.

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The environment fosters an exquisite tableau that goes beyond traditional art offering unparalleled opportunities for capturing beautiful photographs. Unique to this room, it presents a visual spectacle not found elsewhere, allowing visitors to engage with and become part of the art itself. Click here, for further details.

Main Area

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For those who experienced the wonders of Odaiba's teamLab Borderless, the climax of the visit often centered around a particularly captivating room. This tradition continues, yet with the latest iteration, the exhibition has expanded to include an even broader array of artworks. Visitors can easily spend an hour engrossed by the gorgeous displays within just this one expansive area, which houses at least five distinct pieces.

While the names of these creations are withheld to preserve the thrill of discovery, the descriptions hint at a world where digital artistry and natural beauty converge. Ethereal waterfalls and blooming flowers are staples of teamLab exhibits and create a dynamic backdrop that invites you to contemplate.

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Enhanced with colorful lighting, crows add a layer of vitality, darting away as visitors approach, creating a lifelike ecosystem within the room. For further details, click here.

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Kanji, branches, rainbows, and aurors, this mesmerizing blend of elements draws the eye with its intricate beauty, combining traditional Japanese aesthetics with digital innovation for a captivating visual experience. For more pictures, click here.

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A playful and visually stunning procession, you can see frogs parade around the room, a work that culminates in the blossoming of oversized pink flowers, adding a touch of whimsy and wonder. As one approaches the room's exit, the contrasting colors of other artworks offer a glimpse into the interconnectedness of the exhibition's diverse pieces.

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A magical whirlpool reacts to movement, disappearing and reappearing in response to visitors' footsteps, linking the physical and digital realms in a dance of light and shadow. This room epitomizes the boundary-defying essence of teamLab Borderless, where every detail is meticulously designed to create an endlessly evolving experience. The convergence of technology, art, and nature invites visitors into a realm where every step and glance reveals new wonders, making it a truly unforgettable part of the journey through teamLab Borderless.

Corridors that Feel like a Maze

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In the world of teamLab Borderless, art transcends traditional boundaries, with pieces like the vibrant frog parade moving from the main hall into the walkways, integrating with the environment and other artworks. This gallery is home to a diverse array of digital animals, including elephants and kangaroos, which change over time, adding to the experience.

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Each animal, whether it's part of the parade or encountered elsewhere in the exhibition, invites visitors to engage with the art in ever-new ways, making each visit a unique exploration. The mention of an unidentified animal teases the imagination, encouraging guesses and highlighting the playful, ever-evolving nature of the exhibit.

Other Areas

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Beyond the main gallery, a labyrinth of smaller rooms and hidden alleys feature unique artworks. One of the untitled artworks captures the essence of life and connectivity through the depiction of waves, drawing inspiration from classical East Asian art where waves are represented by a series of lines to emphasize their role as part of a larger, interconnected flow. Utilizing the concept of Ultrasubjective Space, the waves embody life itself in a continuous dance of creation and dissolution. For further details, click here.

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Among these, a notable room features the Light Sculpture, a mesmerizing installation where light is molded into dimensional forms, creating the illusion of stepping into an alternate universe. This new addition by teamLab offers an array of light displays that seem to move and change colors, transforming the space into a constantly evolving world.

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In addition to this, the room houses other artworks, including some that defy capture by camera, offering visuals that must be experienced firsthand. The iconic room filled with LED light bulbs and surrounded by mirrors—a hallmark of teamLab's installations—continues to enchant. Here, the lights shift between various hues, sometimes mimicking a bright day, other times a lively party, or even a starry night, maintaining its magical appeal.

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Visitors are advised to be mindful of the room's glass floor, particularly women in short skirts, to maintain decorum. This room, with its evergreen allure and ability to leave a lasting impression, stands as a testament to teamLab's ability to craft experiences that draw visitors back time and again, ensuring a fresh and memorable encounter with each visit.

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The Microcosmoses - Wobbling Light room presents a fascinating new addition to teamLab Borderless, captivating visitors with its ever-shifting color palette illuminated by lights. The inclusion of a track where steel balls glide adds a dynamic layer, enhancing the sense of immersion into an otherworldly space. These balls not only contribute to the kinetic aspect of the exhibit but also act as mirrors, reflecting the vibrant light changes and enriching the visual experience with a unique aesthetic distinct from previous installations.

Photographing this room poses a challenge due to the rapid color transitions and lower light levels compared to other areas. For more photographs, click here.

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The centerpiece is the Bubble Universe room, a breathtaking space where light-emitting bubbles drift through a glass enclosure, enveloping visitors in a seemingly infinite bubble world. This immersive environment blurs the boundaries between the physical and the ethereal, creating a sensation of endlessness.

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The ambiance within the room is ever-changing, thanks to the powerful play of lights that shift in color, setting a varied emotional tone and atmosphere. Synchronized with music, the bubbles' luminescence dances in harmony with the sound, weaving together color and movement to craft a living, breathing piece of art.

EN TEA HOUSE

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Within the enchanting world of teamLab Borderless, tea enthusiasts can discover the EN TEA HOUSE, a serene oasis where the art of tea meets digital innovation. Here, visitors can enjoy not only exquisite tea but also witness the digital art installation, Flowers Bloom in an Infinite Universe inside a Teacup.

As tea is served, a captivating display unfolds directly within the teacup: flowers start to bloom, gradually filling the cup with vibrant colors and patterns. Each cup offers a unique palette, transforming the act of drinking tea into a visual feast. The moment you lift the cup to drink, the digital flowers scatter and vanish, only to re-emerge and bloom anew once the cup is set down, symbolizing the ephemeral nature of life and beauty in a cycle of birth, disappearance, and rebirth.

The tea house features a bar counter seating arrangement. Dominating the space is a rotating circle of golden light, adding a touch of elegance and a distinctly Japanese aesthetic to the ambiance. While the dim lighting may challenge photography, you can immerse in art while enjoying tea. Click here for more details.

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The newly unveiled teamLab Borderless in Tokyo's latest mall offers a range of artworks that truly need to be experienced firsthand. Many of these installations reside in dimly lit rooms, a choice that enhances their ethereal beauty and transports visitors into otherworldly dimensions crafted from light, sound, and digital artistry. Don't miss the opportunity to explore this new chapter of teamLab Borderless and discover the magic of art that transcends visual perception, offering a profound, interactive experience that lingers long after your visit.

EPSON teamLab Borderless: MORI Building DIGITAL ART MUSEUM

Location: Azabudai Hills

Directions: Use Exit 5 of Kamiyacho Station. You will immediately see signs directing you to the entrance.

Official website: https://www.teamlab.art/e/borderless-azabudai/

Admission: ¥3800 - ¥4800 depending on the date of reservation.


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