Dalal Awienat
DUBAI: From the heart of Tokyo to Jeddah’s Historic District, teamLab Borderless museum is set to open its doors in Saudi Arabia on June 10.
Arab News spoke to teamLab Borderless founder Toshiyuki Inoko ahead of the opening to learn more about his hopes for the new space.
Inoko said the newest location in Jeddah, the first outpost in the Middle East, will feature more than 80 artworks.
“Each one of (the) artworks are not independently displayed but they are interrelated and they influence each other … our artwork is fluid and has no borders, hence the name borderless,” Inoko said.
The Jeddah museum features four main sections: Athletics Forest, Future Park, Forest of Lamps and EN TEA HOUSE.
“Once you enter our doors, you walk through a world that is changing endlessly. As you explore further, you enjoy the process of transformation through the artwork,” he explained.
As for its location, Inoko commented that Jeddah’s past is a key factor in why the city is the ideal location for teamLabs Borderless.
“Jeddah is strongly historical and it is rare to see and touch traces of history and Jeddah is one of those rare places where this happens. We think it’s going to be very meaningful for people to create a modern experience in such a strong historical context. We hope to capture the journey between the past and the future,” he said.
Inoko hopes that visitors will enjoy the immersive aspect of the museum.
“At our museum, you as a visitor have the power to influence the art with your physical body … we are hoping to challenge the notion of beauty by showing how it can be everchanging and we hope it can also influence the way people look at the world,” he said.