- April 15, 2025
- Posted by Marc
Benoît Maubrey
https://www.instagram.com/beno.it1809?igsh=Yzdra3dsZTF2Z2Z1
Benoît Maubrey's 2017 public installation 'Karaoke Torii' reimagines the traditional entrance of a Shinto shrine as a giant wall of sound. Created from 300 recycled speakers equipped with bluetooth receivers and microphone jacks, visitors were encouraged to plug in, sing out and fill the valley with their favorite music.
Maubrey originally showcased the sculpture at the 2016 Kobe Biennale under the title 'Shrine, and described it as a project "where the spirits are more likely to hear your prayers." The piece later found its way to Kamiyami, a small town in Tokoshumi, Japan known for its art residencies and creative approaches to urban revitalization.
It quickly became a popular tourist attraction, garnering attention from all over the world. Unfortunately, a typhoon destroyed the structure in 2019, marking the torii's abrupt end.