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Superposition was either the most sublime performance I’ve witnessed, or the most useless one. The gimmick of building up, of crescendoing and intensifying, cycling towards something…and then suddenly blacking out was used multiple times. It was, in my opinion, a cop-out, a way for the performance to change topics without going through the difficulty of forming a cohesive segue. In this sense, I felt the performance was lacking.

However, there were elements of Ikeda’s work which I found compelling. The performers’ use of telegraphs and morse code as musical instruments and rhythmic components, while unpleasant to the ear, was skillful and innovative. Additionally, the use of math and geometry and physics to create art was a unique approach – it made me appreciate the beauty and definability within our universe. I’m usually unaware of these things, so in that way, it was enlightening to visualize plotting points as a medium for creating art.

I feel that if Superposition had focused more on this beautiful aspect of physics and mathematics, it could have engaged the audience much better than the overpowering and sensory overloaded approach which it used.

Perhaps, though, this is the sublimity Ikeda was aiming for. Maybe he wanted to make the audience uncomfortable – uncomfortable with the reality of the universe, the expansiveness, the interconnected-ness, the way in which everything can be linked through math and doesn’t have to be unknown and wondered about. Maybe that’s why this piece is well-respected. But maybe it’s just the fact that Ikeda utilized unique methods to state his point, a point which, in itself, is realized by thousands of scientists every year.

Personally, this performance was not one that I enjoyed. However, I recognize that it has merit and was going towards an interesting concept.

All comments by Madeline

People Are Talking: UMS presents Ryoji Ikeda’s superposition at Power Center:

I agree with your statements about the performance ending so abruptly – once I settled in to the idea that I would be uncomfortable and trying to listen closely and watch for a deeper meaning, the performance had ended. It took me that long to feel “okay” enough with the show that I would even be able to consider interpreting it.

I also felt that I was very self-focused during the performance. I was so aware of my own brain struggling to synthesize some type of meaning from the madness that I lacked the ability to synthesize any deeper understanding. The beautiful moments were really beautiful, but overall, I just didn’t come away from it with a positive or enriched feeling really.

In response to:
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I didn’t hate the performance, nor did I enjoy it. Given the number of people in the audience who were covering their ears, I’m sure it was quite an uncomfortable experience for them, as it was for me. Once I got over the sensory overload and tried to ignore the fact that my eardrums and pupils were being abused, I tried to get a grasp on what everything meant. Was there supposed to be a deeper meaning? The Morse code section presented some thought-provoking ideas, but I found it difficult to find any significance in parts that didn’t have words. The only connection I made with the performance was when I thought of Chuck Bartowski getting the Intersect downloaded into his brain after seeing a million things flash before his eyes in a few short minutes. I couldn’t help but hope that I gained something from the chaos, even if subconsciously.

I found myself thinking more about how this experience was affecting my brain rather than a trying to find a deeper meaning. I thought about how the super-fast images really challenged the brain’s capacity to perceive and process information and the effect that had on my overall nervous system.

At some points, it got a little monotonous, which is why I found myself relishing in the moments that had color instead of just black and white and melody instead of white noise. Another thing I struggled with during this performance was the lack of direction; I mean, obviously it would be hard to have a plot with this type of performance, but everything seemed so random to me that I didn’t even know the performance was over until the lights came on and people started clapping. I guess I was expecting some sense of closure, which is why I was surprised when it just ended like that.
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by marge

Superposition was either the most sublime performance I’ve witnessed, or the most useless one. The gimmick of building up, of crescendoing and intensifying, cycling towards something…and then suddenly blacking out was used multiple times. It was, in my opinion, a cop-out, a way for the performance to change topics without going through the difficulty of forming a cohesive segue. In this sense, I felt the performance was lacking.

However, there were elements of Ikeda’s work which I found compelling. The performers’ use of telegraphs and morse code as musical instruments and rhythmic components, while unpleasant to the ear, was skillful and innovative. Additionally, the use of math and geometry and physics to create art was a unique approach – it made me appreciate the beauty and definability within our universe. I’m usually unaware of these things, so in that way, it was enlightening to visualize plotting points as a medium for creating art.

I feel that if Superposition had focused more on this beautiful aspect of physics and mathematics, it could have engaged the audience much better than the overpowering and sensory overloaded approach which it used.

Perhaps, though, this is the sublimity Ikeda was aiming for. Maybe he wanted to make the audience uncomfortable – uncomfortable with the reality of the universe, the expansiveness, the interconnected-ness, the way in which everything can be linked through math and doesn’t have to be unknown and wondered about. Maybe that’s why this piece is well-respected. But maybe it’s just the fact that Ikeda utilized unique methods to state his point, a point which, in itself, is realized by thousands of scientists every year.

Personally, this performance was not one that I enjoyed. However, I recognize that it has merit and was going towards an interesting concept.