Location

MIT Media Lab, E14 6th Floor

Description

In his presentation "Future of Synesthesia," Tetsuya Mizuguchi will discuss what he always keeps in the forefront of his mind ahead of movies, music, or even creating futuristic games. Treasured by innovative artists from Kandinsky to Messiaen, Mizuguchi believes that "synesthesia"–the phenomenon where the senses intertwine and evoke rich emotions–is the key to the future of media. He will shed light on the path to this future as he describes his theory of "Media Aesthetics" that pursue the subconscious of human desire and instinct.
Tetsuya Mizuguchi is perhaps most celebrated for creating the gaming odyssey Rez. Challenging himself to merge Kandinsky’s theory of synaesthesia experience, he blended rich visual textures with "trance" electronic music to create this unusual and popular music-based game. The innovative title collected many awards worldwide, including an honorary mention in the Prix Ars Electronica 2002 Interactive Art Division. Mizuguchi has also developed the critically acclaimed music and luminary action puzzle game series Lumines, which was released worldwide in 2004 for the PSP (PlayStation Portable). He envisioned this game to provide an “interactive audio and visual experience” in which players would be “playing a Walkman." His most recent project is Child of Eden, a multi-sensory shooter that sends players diving into a kaleidoscopic matrix of mind-blowing visuals and synchronized music. In 2006, Mizuguchi was selected as one of the Digital 50 by the Producers Guild of America and The Hollywood Reporter for his contributions to digital storytelling. Mizuguchi also founded the band "Genki Rockets" to pursue his love of technology and electronic music.