The world’s largest digital art experience has opened in Abu Dhabi. Spanning 17,000 sq metres, teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi has been developed by the immersive digital art collective in collaboration with the state’s Department of Culture and Tourism.
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teamlab Phenomena’s total area makes it around 70 per cent larger than the collective’s previously opened 10,000 sq metre teamlab Borderless art space in Tokyo and almost 50 per cent bigger than Culturespace’s 12,000 sq metres Less Bassin des Lumières in Bordeaux, France.
Comprising two distinct Wet and Dry areas, teamLab Phenomena immerses guests in mesmerising visuals, vibrant landscapes and interactive installations.
Fluid hands-on experience
In the Dry artwork area, visitors encounter artworks that encourage interaction, and respond to their movements and actions. And in the Wet artwork area, guests follow a dedicated walkway leading them into a realm filled with fluid, hands-on experiences that further deepen connection with the art.
TeamLab has had an ongoing relationship with Epson (which has been described as its official technology partner) since 2018. Among previous projects, Epson is reported to have supplied approximately 560 high-brightness projectors for teamLab Borderless in Tokyo and around 500 projectors for teamLab Borderless in Shanghai.
An opening ceremony for the new teamLab Phenomena experience in Abu Dhabi featured a display of 6,000 sychnronised drones and pyrotechnics – believed to be the largest in the Gulf Cooperation Council region. It also hosted a specially composed performance by Italian pianist and composer, Ludovico Einaudi.
Artworks created by the environment
Commenting on the project, Toshiyuki Inoko, founder of teamLab, said: “The artworks in teamLab Phenomena do not exist independently but are created by the environment. Even if people immerse themselves physically into the artwork, the artwork will remain intact, capable of naturally restoring itself even if disrupted.
“However, when the environment is not sustained, the artwork will disappear. The boundaries of the artwork are ambiguous and continuous with the environment.”
His excellency Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, said: “teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi is a groundbreaking cultural landmark that redefines immersive art experiences on a global scale.”
Inauguration
The experience’s inauguration was witnessed by his highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayad Al Nayhan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, marking its importance to the Emirate’s Saadiyat Cultural District.
When complete, this will be the largest concentration of cultural and educational institutions in the world, including the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the upcoming Zayed National Museum, the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, and the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi.