Japanese art collective NAKED have become known for their digital art encompassing projection mapping, interactive videos and physical installations. Their newest project, ‘NAKED meets’, has been set up to explore historical artists in an innovative fashion. The first exhibition in this series focuses on Sen no Rikyu, a figure from the 16th century famous for his influence on Japanese tea ceremony.

This special exhibition, being held at Kanazawa’s 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, has several artworks to enjoy, and visitors can explore and deepen their understanding of tea ceremony and Sen no Rikyu.

At the entrance to the artworks, visitors will be greeted by a digital version of Sen no Rikyu as if they are guests at a tea ceremony he is hosting.

Guests then will walk through the ‘roji’, or tea garden, a sacred place which serves as a purifying border between the tea ceremony venue and the outside world.

Before a tea ceremony, it’s important to purify your hands. This is represented by an interactive projection of a stone basin with various examples of flora on the water’s surface.

There’s also a depiction of a dry landscape garden on the walls, filled with Sen no Rikyu’s teachings.

The first of Sen no Rikyu's seven rules is 'satisfying tea must be served to the guest'. This doesn't refer just to the taste, but as a reminder to also consider the guest's feelings and sensibilities. NAKED's digital art brings this principle to life as the visualisation of a tea whisk's movements.

Within a tearoom, there should be a ‘tokonoma’, an alcove where art or flowers is displayed. For this exhibition this is represented with an immersive artwork inspired by a hanging scroll with ink paintings.

Through digital art, guests can also experience several types of small tea rooms, including Sen no Rikyu’s masterpiece, Tai-an, that he designed himself in 1582.

Lastly, there’s a tribute to the tea room as a whole, an interactive artwork that encompasses the spirit of the tea room and what the space represents.

NAKED meets Sen no Rikyu is running until 3rd September 2022 at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art. Check out the official website for more details.