Ephemeral Bubble

Echigo-Tsumari, Japan

Photo © Zhu Yumeng

Poster for Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale 2024

Architects: MAD

Location: Echigo-Tsumari, Japan
Year: 2024
Client: Echigo-Tsumari Art Field
Team: Ma Yansong, Yosuke Hayano, Dang Qun, Yu Nagasaki, Rozita Kashirtseva, Valentina Olivieri, Hu Jing-Chang
Contractors: Green Sigma Co.,Ltd., Adachi Zoukeisha

Ma Yansong/MAD have revealed their latest installation, "Ephemeral Bubble," at the 2024 Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale. This installation opens a dialogue with the ancient Japanese countryside.

The “Ephemeral Bubble" is integrated into a century-old house in the Murono Village, resembling a bubble being gently blown from the traditional wooden structure. This design adds a temporary, flexible space that mimics the lightness and translucence of breathing air.

The biomorphic design of the bubble draws inspiration from nature, featuring fluid and soft shapes in its form. This concept of bubbles also introduces a playful and interactive space, making the experiential installation ideal for emotive and spiritual exploration. This approach emphasizes the importance of engagement in design.

Inside the bubble, the space feels expansive and undefined, suitable for performances, ceremonies, gatherings, and other events. The installation reflects the surrounding greenery and colors within its white interior, creating an atmosphere of soft light. This fusion of virtual and tangible elements, combining the old and the new, brings new life into the ancient building.

The "Ephemeral Bubble" exists within the traditional village while intentionally appearing without origin, embodying a deliberate "de-symbolization" to infuse new cultural vitality.

The historic house, now known as the China House Huayuan, has been a hub for Chinese artistic expression and cultural exchange since its inauguration in 2016. It continues to serve as a vital link between Chinese and Japanese artistic communities at the Echigo-Tsumari Art Festival.