designboom_for the third time, teamLab returns to the shimogamo shrine to hold the digitized forest — an exhibition that turns nature into art without harming it — in kyoto. this year’s show has expanded, turning both the tadasu forest and the shimogamo shrine into an art space that changes ones visitors immerse themselves in the brightly-lit pieces.

the interdisciplinary group teamLab — consisting of architects, engineers, programmers, animators, mathematicians, musicians, and more — was nominated for THE DESIGN PRIZE 2019 in the category, ‘in the artistic realm’, for the mori building digital art museum tokyo.

the concept behind teamLab’s digitized forest follows the idea that non-material digital technology can turn nature into art without damaging it but by adding an extra layer to its grandioseness. ‘digital technologies, such as sensors, networks, lights, and sound, are non-material and have no physical impact on the environment,’ comments teamLab. ‘we believe that by using such non-material digital technologies, nature can be turned into living art.’

in addition to the works exhibited last year along the path of tadasu forest and inside the shimogamo shrine tower gate, this year will bring new works, including walk, walk, walk – tadasu forest at shimogamo shrine. this latest installation features a group of anonymous and diverse figures walk along the izumigawa river as it flows through the tadasu forest. the works transform the forest and shrine into an art space that is perpetually and continuously changing.