MACHAS

Beyond reality: KAZ SHIRANE’s magical installations at Alfa Future People Festival

Located near a village called Bolshoye Kozino, an hour east by plane from Moscow, Alfa Future People is the biggest EDM music festival in Russia. The event is a huge celebration of dance music, with an impressive line-up of international DJs - this summer’s headliners included Afrojack and Steve Aoki - a gigantic outdoor stage, over the top decorations, fireworks, smoke, glitter and costumes… You name it. The summer festival extravaganza at its best! But Alfa Future People doesn’t only bring the biggest EDM names to Russia. The festival also showcases exciting new technologies, inviting start-ups and companies to present their latest innovations and products.

Tokyo-based artist KAZ SHIRANE from the Machas’ Artist Network was commissioned by Russian brand K_Player to create two futuristic art installations that would be showcased during the festival. Following our great collaboration with Kaz and Rolls-Royce China, we were delighted to work on this new project with him. KAZ SHIRANE is internationally recognised for his work in spatial art. With his background in architecture, he explores interactive space design through his work and is known for his astonishing Light Origami installations around the world.

For his new installations at Alfa Future People, KAZ SHIRANE was challenged to create a large-scale, three-dimensional mirrors structure, as well as a smaller installation that would act as a press wall. After a few months of preparation, from sketching the structure to sourcing the right materials and thinking about the light effects, the two structures came to life for the festival and were both installed in a tent near the main stage.

The Dome
With its impressive structure and changing lights, The Dome is an immersive space giving people the opportunity to step into a psychedelic new dimension. The huge installation - Kaz’s biggest dome to date - is made of geometric panels and has multiple facets, reflecting light and changing colours like a giant 3D kaleidoscope. Festival goers could step inside the structure to fully experience the magic of Kaz’s creation, seeing their reflections in the multifaceted mirror from different angles.

The Wall
With its changing lights and reflective facets, the second installation is an eye-catching 3.5-metre high and 2.8-metre long wall, made of geometric-shaped mirrors. The installation has a different design when looked from different angles, hiding the initial K in its geometric facets. The colour of the light changes slowly, giving the wall an evolving, ever-changing look. During the festival, it was used as a press wall in front of which people could have their picture taken.

After Alfa Future People, the Dome will be showcased at various exhibitions and biennale in Moscow, Ekaterinburg and Saint-Petersburg.