Music is an art that flows freely, is impossible to hold, and leaves its imprint on the soul. But what if music could be seen, sculpted, and given a tangible form? This is the question that sculptor Yoshie Nanno, along with musicians Ritsu Okuda and Reiko Furuichi, has set out to explore in sound and form with Secret of Sound, an Indo-Japanese collaboration that transforms melodies into three-dimensional art. Hosted in Lalit Kala Akademi, this exhibition bridges cultures and traditions.
One song, one sculpture
For Yoshie Nanno, the journey of translating sound into sculpture began three decades ago in India. “I was in India in 1996, in Shantiniketan. I wanted to express something here. Music is the centre of art and culture. The idea was there 30 years ago, but I started in 2017. From 2022, I started printing out 3D models and making sculptures from wood,” she says. Her work in this exhibition takes inspiration from raga Bhairav. Using looping techniques inspired by the esraj (a string instrument), she creates sculptures that reflect the tonal structures of the raga. The swirls and twists of her designs mimic the movement of sound waves. The artist sees a connection between Japanese and Indian philosophies of sound. “The folk tunes of both countries are similar,” she says.
Ritsu Okuda, a flautist deeply engaged with folk traditions, finds herself fascinated by the interplay between music and form. “Music is invisible, and she (Nanno) gives it form,” she says. Her performances span diverse Indian landscapes — Meghalaya, Odisha, Assam, Shillong. Navigating the tonal differences between Indian classical music and Japanese traditional music has been an engaging challenge. “India is a very big country,” she says, acknowledging the vast array of regional musical traditions. She says, “What I wanted to convey is not my emotions. Something at the back of my mind is — what is in the land?”
Bridging borders
Reiko Furuichi, a pianist, adds another layer to this artistic collaboration. With the piano being a traditionally Western instrument, she has had to rethink her approach to integrate it into an Indo-Japanese dialogue. “Playing music is like drawing,” she says, suggesting that music, like visual art, is a medium of interpretation rather than fixed rules. Her journey into this project was not accidental. “First, I was a musician. Then, I collaborated with a sculptor. This is what I imagined before, so it’s not surprising,” she shares.
Living in a village in Kanchipuram, Reiko has immersed herself in India’s cultural rhythms. “The modes of communication in India and Japan are different, but it wasn’t a challenge. If we keep ourselves open-minded, there are so many unexpected, incredibly fantastic moments.” She believes that art is deeply embedded in people’s everyday lives. “Actually, through this project, we have realised art is underneath people’s lives.” It is not just about institutions and performances but also about human connections, cultural exchanges, and shared experiences.
‘Secret of Sound’ will be on display at Lalit Kala Akademi till 6 pm today.