Ryoji Ikeda is an artist known for creating immersive experiences. Born in Kyoto and living in Paris, he is regarded as one of the few international artists today who is working convincingly across both visual and sonic media.

superposition by Ryoji Ikeda is a live project about the way humans understand the reality of nature on an atomic scale. It is inspired by the mathematical notions of quantum mechanics.

Ikeda delicately straddles two worlds to orchestrate sound, visuals, materials, physical phenomena and mathematical notions that blend into live performances and art installations. Since the mid 1990s, Ikeda has confidently pioneered a radical and highly influential minimalist approach to acoustic spaces.

Now Carriageworks has secured three performances of Ikeda’s iconic work superposition from 23-26 September, with the help of visual arts partner BresicWhitney.

transfinite, 2011 at The Park Avenue Armory, NYC, was an installation where visitors were submerged in an extreme illustration of projected and synchronized data. Image courtesy of nyclovesnyc.

Previously Ikeda has performed and exhibited worldwide including at MOMA, New York; Tate Modern, London; Yamaguchi Center for Arts and Media; Le Laboratoire, Paris; Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo; MIT, Boston; Centre Pompidou, Paris; Sónar Festival Barcelona; as well as many electronic music festivals and small clubs.

His latest project superposition at Carriageworks is about the way we understand the reality of nature on an atomic scale and is inspired by the mathematical notions of quantum mechanics.

Using pure data as a source for sound and visuals, datamatics 2006 combined abstract and mimetic presentations of matter, time and space in a powerful and breathtakingly accomplished work. datamatics is the second audiovisual concert in Ryoji Ikeda’s datamatics series, an art project that explores the potential to perceive the invisible multi-substance of data that permeates our world. Image courtesy of Domusweb.

All the components Ikeda gathers together on stage for his Carriageworks show will be in a state of superposition: sound, visuals, physical phenomena, mathematical concepts, human behaviour and randomness –will be constantly orchestrated and de-orchestrated into one single live performance.

test pattern is one of Ryoji Ikeda’s audiovisual projects, consisting of an installation based on eight computer monitors which flicker with black and white images in a dark room. Created in 2008 the performance is a system that converts any type of data (text, sounds, photos and movies) into barcode patterns and binary patterns of 0s and 1s. The project aims to examine the relationship between critical points of device performance and the threshold of human perception.

Audiences can expect deep synth bass notes and flickering static highs – an assault on the ears and senses through a meticulous layering of sonic components.

superposition by Ryoji Ikeda is based on quantum theory, data and mathematics. For the first time since the work was conceived in 2012, performers will appear in the work, acting in the role of operator, conductor, observer or examiner courtesy of emotiva lounge.

In 2008, the notoriously shy artist spoke about the role of technology, reflecting on the mechanics of sound and evolution of music.

“It seems to be obvious that the form, style and way of representation will be endlessly transformed by technological trends, which has long been a tradition within music — from the invention of notation, or instruments such as the pianoforte, to digital downloads today. But I am more interested in thinking about what will not change — I naively believe that the essentials of music will never change,” Ikeda said.