As Below, So Above
Mattress Factory presents a new solo exhibition from Japanese American artist Shohei Katayama.
As Below, So Above invites viewers to challenge perceived reality and consider their place in an ever-changing world.
As Below, So Above (2023) by Shohei KatayamaMattress Factory
Exploring the interplay and interconnectedness of ‘all things,’ this dynamic work spans two levels of the Mattress Factory’s original warehouse building.
Throughout the museum’s lobby, seventeen wooden floorboards have been selectively and precisely removed.
As Below, So Above (2023) by Shohei KatayamaMattress Factory
In their place, transparent panels fill the voids, allowing light from the first floor to enter the underground gallery below.
As visitors traverse the lobby, their movements unknowingly influence the light shining into the darkened basement. Simultaneously, via motion and sound sensors, visitors navigating the lower-level gallery will activate the lobby space above with subtle sounds and movements.
As Below, So Above (2023) by Shohei KatayamaMattress Factory
In doing so, the spaces become intertwined, highlighting the relationship between these separate rooms, and blurring the boundaries between observer and observed.
The installation features a giant black orb made from conduits, PVC, chicken wire and zip ties.
As Below, So Above (2023) by Shohei KatayamaMattress Factory
Round foam gap fillers were used to give a moonlight effect as the sphere slowly spins above a surrounding pool dyed with black ink.
Equal parts architectural intervention, minimalist earthwork, and meditative environment, the installation encourages reflection on the invisible forces that bind us together. Using light, sound, and sculpture, Katayama’s work urges us to embrace the unknown and unpredictable.
