The sauna has been used for centuries as a place of relaxation and gathering, combining hot and cold temperatures to rid the body of toxins.
Sauna has been used by many cultures to alter perception. The Ojibway First Nations and Japanese Zen cultures use hot and cold transitions in order to increase awareness. This history of saunas as vessels for heightened perception is the theme of teamLab’s RinkanSaunaRoppongi exhibit.
teamLab, a Japanese collective of artists founded in 2001 with the goal of changing people’s perceptions about life and nature. Since its inception, the group of artists, architects and engineers have created interactive exhibits around the world, including New York City and Paris.
The exhibit illustrates the idea that life is a circle, without beginning or ending. After exiting the traditional tea sauna, viewers are greeted by a continuously rotating circle. This represents the eternal motion around a point in the center of the universe.
It is this unique use of saunas to create a “sauna-trance” that changes the viewer’s perception of art. When entering a “sauna trance”, teamLab says, “the senses sharpen and the mind is cleared.” The beauty of the world around you is brought into focus. What’s normally unnoticed becomes apparent.
