Musiscoop

Japan

From The Netherlands to Japan and back again, around the world

The first magic lantern was introduced to Japan by the Dutch around 1800. At the time the lantern was no more than a candle and a simple lens. Both in Japan and in the West new methods were explored to bring the projected images to life, to animate them and make them seem more lifelike.

 

The lantern developed in two very different directions. In the West, the workings of the projector became increasingly technical, and it eventually developed to become the film projector. In Japan the internal mechanics remained simple, and light wooden boxes were constructed so the projectors could be easily hand held, for example to make a fish swim, a performer moves the projector up and down and side to side. For complex images more than one projector is used. In Japan this technique is still employed by theatre group Minwaza.

Ida Lohman attended a workshop with Minwaza in 2003, and brought the Japanese-style magic lantern technique back to the Netherlands. Her piece Giant Light Circus combines Western and Japanese techniques. The circle would be complete if this performance could be shown in Japan