Yoshi Sodeoka’s Directed Music Videos (2011-2023)
Special Screening Event
12/9/2023 (Sat) — 15:00-16:00

Free Entry
Reservations are not required, visitors may enter and leave during the event.
The exhibited works can be viewed during the event.

TORIMIMASATAKA〈VOQUOXY〉 | 2017 | 5:18
MYMK〈Drag〉 | 2015 | 2:02
MYMK〈Moontalk〉| 2019 | 1:36
Tame Impala〈Elephant〉 | 2012 | 3:32
Mark Stoermer〈39 Steps (Shannoncut Remix)〉 | 2017 | 4:58
Oliver Coates〈Norrin Radd Dreaming (feat. Malibu)〉 | 2018 | 5:28
e*rock〈The Palace of Light (Revisited)〉 | 2011 | 2:50
My Panda Shall Fly〈Rainfall〉 | 2014 | 4:03
Max Cooper〈Spike〉 | 2020 | 5:04
Metallica | 2023 | 7:15*
*with Tim Saccenti

Total: 42:10

Music videos (2011-2023 excerpts) directed by Yoshi Sodeoka are available here.
A Youtube playlist of some of the films screened at the screening event is available.

2023.11.18
A contribution to “1.618?”

‘1.618?’ is a collection of audiovisual works, along with a conceptual narrative, created by New York-based Japanese artist Yoshi Sodeoka.This exhibition, hosted by CALM & PUNK GALLERY, marks Sodeoka’s debut solo show in Japan. It invites viewers to explore art, science, and technology by looking at thought-provoking ideas, and more particularly those related to simulation theory. Sodeoka, while fascinated by this concept, does not advocate or hold a firm conviction in any of them. Here, his work provides a platform for critical contemplation rather than a conclusive declaration.

Simulation theory suggests our reality might be a mockup generated by entities beyond our comprehension. Sodeoka tackles this idea through compositions questioning the gray zone between the simulated and the authentic. Mainly created for this exhibition, the series is presented using various digital devices, including Infinite Objects, screens, and beamers. It provokes reevaluating of the fundamental principles of existence while challenging common long-held beliefs.

Sodeoka boasts a strong track record, with notable contributions to publications like the NY Times and MIT Technology Review. He has collaborated with musicians like Metallica and Max Cooper and was an early adopter of NFTs. Despite this solid background, ‘1.618?’ stands out as a significant milestone in his career, his first art show dedicated to exploring simulation theory and its philosophy. Notably, he questions the validity of concepts like the golden ratio, often seeing them misused when applied to logarithmic spirals.

At the core of ‘1.618?’ mathematics is a unifying language, harmonizing diverse points of view. This investigation is linked with ‘pareidolia,’ which explores the human tendency to perceive meaningful patterns or connections in random or ambiguous stimuli, such as recognizing faces in clouds or electric plugs, for example. Sodeoka’s work not only challenges these perceptions but also invites viewers to reconsider their point of view. It delves into the human inclination to seek shapes and significance in the world, especially in the context of religious beliefs, thus encouraging a deeper exploration of our cognitive processes and their nature.

This exhibition guides the audience through si-emulations, golden ratio, the choreography of weather patterns, insect behaviors like spider and moth swarms, and murmuration of starlings. It celebrates the promise of art and technology, embracing both the digital and the physical. ‘1.618?’ examines settled assumptions and prompts reflection on the influences that mold our approach to reality.

As you leave the gallery, let the questions raised here linger in your thoughts. How have these artworks transformed your perception of the world? What significance do replica and authenticity hold for our understanding of life? What further mysteries await discovery at the frontier of realities?

We invite you to carry these reflections with you and continue to explore the complexities that define our being. As humans, let us collectively ponder the intriguing possibilities unveiled by ‘1.618?

Text by Benoit Palop