GOMA’s multisensory World of Light

GOMA’s multisensory
World of Light

GOMA, an internationally acclaimed didgeridoo player, began painting just two days after he was involved in a traffic accident in 2009. Until then, he had hardly ever painted as a hobby, let alone professionally. But he suddenly began creating unique paintings filled with intricate dots. After his accident, GOMA started suffering aftereffects such as memory loss and blackouts. It took some time to work out what was happening, but a research institute in the US diagnosed him with acquired savant syndrome. This is an extremely rare phenomenon in which people who have suffered brain injuries develop special talents in areas like art, music, and mathematics.

More than ten years after the accident, his daily life is almost completely unaffected, and he is playing didgeridoo again. However, he still spends most of the day painting. His paintings are depictions of the scenes that appear in his head. When he loses consciousness, a world that seems to be wrapped in a pure white luminous substance appears to him. Then, as he is regaining consciousness, colors gradually return. GOMA calls this world full of hope that he sees after losing consciousness the world of light."

Video based on GOMA's music and paintings will play at the venue, providing an experience of his creations through various senses. He will also perform for scheduled yoga + didgeridoo events. Visit the world of mysterious peace that unfolds in GOMA’s mind.
GOMA
GOMA is a musician who plays the didgeridoo, a traditional Aboriginal instrument, and also a painter. In 1998, he was the runner-up in the Barunga didgeridoo competition held in Australia, and he performed at venues inside and outside of Japan. In 2009 he was involved in a traffic accident and stopped playing due to symptoms of higher brain dysfunction. However, just two days after the accident he began to create paintings composed from intricate dots, and since then he has mounted numerous solo exhibitions at venues including Australia’s Backwoods Gallery (2016), Shinjuku Takashimaya Art Gallery (2018 and 2019), PARCO Museum Tokyo (2022), PARCO Gallery Osaka (2023), and PARCO Gallery Nagoya (2023). In 2012 he appeared in the biographical documentary Flashback Memories 3D, which won the Audience Award at the Tokyo International Film Festival. In 2021, he was responsible for the entrance music for the illuminated truck in the 2020 TOKYO Paralympic Opening Ceremony. In 2022, he was the music director for the play Shuku-shuku to Unshin [Stitchers] and created art used in the play.

GOMA: World of Light

Dates
May 4-June 29, 2024 / 11:00-20:00
Venue
GYRE GALLERY, GYRE 3F, 5-10–1 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Contact
Navi Dial 0570-05-6990 (11:00–18:00)
Organizer
GYRE
Planning
JUNGLE MUSIC
Graphics
Yoshimoto Taichiro
Sound design
LSD Engineering
Video production
Oshika Nao
Commentary
Aono Naoko
Video engineering
Kishimoto Tomoya
Venue setup
Put Co., Ltd.
Production cooperation
IST CO.,LTD. / DAITOSANGYO CO.,LTD.
PR direction
HiRAO INC
Press Contact
HiRAO INC | #608 1-11-11 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Tel. 03.5771.8808 | Fax. 03.5410.8858
Contacts: Seiichiro Mifune and Shohei Suzuki

Website

Produce
mount inc.
Photo(Atelier・Venue)
Shimahara Yuya

Yoga + didgeridoo performances

GOMA will lead yoga + didgeridoo sound massage experiences in the solo exhibition space.
(This event is now fully booked.)
Schedule
May 11 (Sat) / May 19 (Sun) / May 26 (Sun)
Jun 9 (Sun) / Jun 16 (Sun) / Jun 23 (Sun)
starting at 9:45