Nion's Senzo Ueno’s Installation 'minamo' Exhibited at Okuyamato Mind Trail - Museum in Your Mind
NION's new director and director of photography Senzo Ueno's video installation was exhibited at an art festival in Nara Okuyamato. This unique festival - held across three regions in Nara; Yoshino, Tenkawa, Soni - aims to inspire people to walk on their feet and touch nature through art.
Senzo's piece, named 'minamo', is a video installation of water filmed in Okuyamato and was being displayed at Mikumari Shrine.
Bland and transparent, water can shift shapes and colours into anything as it flows effortlessly down the river. Although the progression of time varies, minerals and organic matter such as humans ourselves have taken shape from the water flow. And the transparent water casts a colourful tone to life. This historical shrine, unknown of its establishment, worships the goddess who governs water and is located at the source of where the four rivers split down the Yoshino Mountain.
Various footage of these beautiful water flows was collected and exhibited the installation across from the main shrine, as if it worships the goddess.
Born in 1982 in Kagoshima Prefecture. Senzo began his career as a DOP, mainly working on feature films, advertisements, and music videos. He recently started directing as well.
Senzo has won awards at Cannes, Clio, THE ONE SHOW, D&AD, New York Festivals, ACC, Japan Media Arts Festivals and more, working with clients such as HONDA, SUNTORY, NIKE, Adidas, Apple, SHISEIDO, UNIQLO, SONY, TOYOTA and Otsuka Pharmaceutical. His personal work includes a series of installations of 'minamo', elaborate water flow, waves, and light changes, projected onto screens and natural objects.
Senzo is currently a member of a production unit called NION, which aims to produce a new form of film production. He also established a label called 'SHINSHUN' which proposes a borderless, low-calorie, and local-based film production. It aims to realise a sustainable society by engaging in environmental conservation, regional revitalisation, and inheritance of traditional culture, but focusing on local culture’s connection across Japan.
