Akio Suzuki: “o to da te” in Tokyo Biennale 2025

Akio Suzuki, known as a pioneer of sound art in Japan, has pursued the relationship between sound and space since the 1960s, developing “self-study events,” performances, and installations both domestically and internationally. For this festival, we are presenting o to da te, a representative project focusing specifically on “listening” within Suzuki’s wide-ranging activities, at six locations (16 points) across Tokyo.

o to da te is a project where participants, like in the “nodate” tea ceremony held outdoors, can open their senses by listening carefully as they get a sense of the scenery at designated points. Each point was discovered by Suzuki himself as he explored the city, seeking out locations where unique environmental sounds and reverberations could be heard.

At these selected points, markers are installed featuring a form readable as both feet standing together and ears listening. Participants visit these points using a map, which includes places like an ancient tree facing a historic temple precinct or areas surrounding bustling streets lined with museums and galleries. Standing quietly alone on a mark switches on your auditory awareness, allowing you to listen intently to the sounds present in each moment. There, all of us become active as both listeners and composers, as we spend time in this engaged state.

Special Support: Ishibashi Foundation