TeamLab Is Building an Immersive Art Empire
Published: 05:12 PM,Dec 12,2024 | EDITED : 09:12 PM,Dec 12,2024
Visitors at teamLab Borderless at the Mori Building Digital Art Museum in Tokyo, Oct. 4, 2024. (Shiho Fukada/The New York Times)
Amid challenging economic times for many cultural institutions, a group of artists and engineers has captivated millions, establishing a global network of nearly 60 immersive art centers that are perfectly designed for Instagram. This network stretches from Japan to China and Saudi Arabia, with an expansion into the United Arab Emirates on the horizon.
Last year, teamLab Planets Tokyo—a central hub in this growing empire—welcomed around 2.5 million visitors. Each visitor enjoys a unique, barefoot journey through a surreal world where art meets science, all for an average ticket price of about $25. Highlights of this experience include wading through the milky waters of a digital koi pond and crawling under a mesmerizing garden filled with 13,000 hanging orchids.
Behind the scenes at teamLab Planets, a team of technicians diligently maintains the complex exhibits. They monitor projectors, lightbulbs, and chlorine levels to ensure everything runs smoothly. The revenue generated from ticket sales, which can rival that of iconic institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art and MoMA in New York, is estimated to be nearly $60 million. However, a portion of these earnings goes to DMM.com, an e-commerce sponsor.
Despite their success, significant details about teamLab's financial model remain closely guarded. Observers note that the collective avoids disclosing information regarding their financial history, which stands in stark contrast to other art organizations of similar size. Arguably, they have crafted an experience that feels more like an art amusement park than a traditional exhibition space. Critics like Thu-Huong Ha from The Japan Times emphasize that teamLab often bypasses traditional conventions of the art world, avoiding artist credits or discussions about craftsmanship, opting instead for a direct relationship with consumers—an approach that raises questions about its authenticity.
The opinions on teamLab's reputation are mixed. Some celebrate it as Japan's premier artistic showcase, while others view it as a mere tourist trap. Takashi Kudo, a key member of the collective, attempts to shift the conversation. As he guides a reporter through the exhibition, he observes eager children interacting with the digital koi and emphasizes their core mission: “If these exhibitions cannot reach an emotional height, then we have failed. We have to reach people’s hearts.”
Inoko, the collective's founder, established teamLab in 2001 along with artist friends driven by a desire to blend technology and artistic expression. By day, they sold innovative technologies to fund their artistic endeavors at night, pioneering a unique integration of art and tech through concepts like “ultra-subjective space,” which immerses viewers in digital installations instead of presenting them through traditional screens.
Inoko often engages in philosophical discussions around perception and reality rather than answering business inquiries directly. He draws connections from natural phenomena, such as the whirlpools near his hometown, to the immersive experiences teamLab works to create. He believes understanding the world’s metaphysical dimensions is crucial for grasping what makes their digital art so engaging.
Emphasizing the delicate interplay between art and the environment, Kudo elucidates how teamLab draws on traditional Japanese aesthetics, akin to the practices of celebrated artists like Yayoi Kusama and Takashi Murakami. Their exploration of space reflects an ambition to reshape how society interacts with art within urban landscapes.
In recent years, teamLab’s influence has expanded, with the collective gaining recognition through global exhibitions. The representation by Pace Gallery in New York marked a significant milestone, and their artworks now attract high-profile collectors, commanding prices from $120,000 to $400,000. Meanwhile, the collective’s immersive installations continue to entice both local and international visitors, effectively becoming a vital thread in the fabric of contemporary art.
The upcoming teamLab Phenomena in Abu Dhabi is set to be a landmark venue that explores the relationship between environment and art, signaling a new chapter for the collective. With almost 1,000 employees primarily focused on operational aspects and technology development, teamLab allocates much of its revenue to the creation of new artistic endeavors.
Each of their venues fosters a cycle of innovative artistic expressions bolstered by partnerships with investors, which enables continual enhancements and expansions of their installations. The ongoing evolution of teamLab’s work, characterized by real-time interaction and digital innovation, underscores its distinction in the immersive art landscape.
Ultimately, teamLab aspires to be more than a fleeting experience; they want to invite society to engage deeply with art in transformative ways. By creating spaces that blend technology with artistic exploration, they seek to convert cities into canvases of creativity and connection, contributing to a redefined narrative for the future of art. —NYT
Last year, teamLab Planets Tokyo—a central hub in this growing empire—welcomed around 2.5 million visitors. Each visitor enjoys a unique, barefoot journey through a surreal world where art meets science, all for an average ticket price of about $25. Highlights of this experience include wading through the milky waters of a digital koi pond and crawling under a mesmerizing garden filled with 13,000 hanging orchids.
Behind the scenes at teamLab Planets, a team of technicians diligently maintains the complex exhibits. They monitor projectors, lightbulbs, and chlorine levels to ensure everything runs smoothly. The revenue generated from ticket sales, which can rival that of iconic institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art and MoMA in New York, is estimated to be nearly $60 million. However, a portion of these earnings goes to DMM.com, an e-commerce sponsor.
Despite their success, significant details about teamLab's financial model remain closely guarded. Observers note that the collective avoids disclosing information regarding their financial history, which stands in stark contrast to other art organizations of similar size. Arguably, they have crafted an experience that feels more like an art amusement park than a traditional exhibition space. Critics like Thu-Huong Ha from The Japan Times emphasize that teamLab often bypasses traditional conventions of the art world, avoiding artist credits or discussions about craftsmanship, opting instead for a direct relationship with consumers—an approach that raises questions about its authenticity.
The opinions on teamLab's reputation are mixed. Some celebrate it as Japan's premier artistic showcase, while others view it as a mere tourist trap. Takashi Kudo, a key member of the collective, attempts to shift the conversation. As he guides a reporter through the exhibition, he observes eager children interacting with the digital koi and emphasizes their core mission: “If these exhibitions cannot reach an emotional height, then we have failed. We have to reach people’s hearts.”
Inoko, the collective's founder, established teamLab in 2001 along with artist friends driven by a desire to blend technology and artistic expression. By day, they sold innovative technologies to fund their artistic endeavors at night, pioneering a unique integration of art and tech through concepts like “ultra-subjective space,” which immerses viewers in digital installations instead of presenting them through traditional screens.
Inoko often engages in philosophical discussions around perception and reality rather than answering business inquiries directly. He draws connections from natural phenomena, such as the whirlpools near his hometown, to the immersive experiences teamLab works to create. He believes understanding the world’s metaphysical dimensions is crucial for grasping what makes their digital art so engaging.
Emphasizing the delicate interplay between art and the environment, Kudo elucidates how teamLab draws on traditional Japanese aesthetics, akin to the practices of celebrated artists like Yayoi Kusama and Takashi Murakami. Their exploration of space reflects an ambition to reshape how society interacts with art within urban landscapes.
In recent years, teamLab’s influence has expanded, with the collective gaining recognition through global exhibitions. The representation by Pace Gallery in New York marked a significant milestone, and their artworks now attract high-profile collectors, commanding prices from $120,000 to $400,000. Meanwhile, the collective’s immersive installations continue to entice both local and international visitors, effectively becoming a vital thread in the fabric of contemporary art.
The upcoming teamLab Phenomena in Abu Dhabi is set to be a landmark venue that explores the relationship between environment and art, signaling a new chapter for the collective. With almost 1,000 employees primarily focused on operational aspects and technology development, teamLab allocates much of its revenue to the creation of new artistic endeavors.
Each of their venues fosters a cycle of innovative artistic expressions bolstered by partnerships with investors, which enables continual enhancements and expansions of their installations. The ongoing evolution of teamLab’s work, characterized by real-time interaction and digital innovation, underscores its distinction in the immersive art landscape.
Ultimately, teamLab aspires to be more than a fleeting experience; they want to invite society to engage deeply with art in transformative ways. By creating spaces that blend technology with artistic exploration, they seek to convert cities into canvases of creativity and connection, contributing to a redefined narrative for the future of art. —NYT