artworks

Primal Rhythm (2011) is a two-part work conceived in 2007 by Mariko Mori: Sun Pillar and the upcoming Moon Stone will honor the ocean and pristine coral reef at Seven Light Bay in Miyako City’s Karimata district in Okinawa, Japan. Sun Pillar is an installation on a rock promontory in the bay that reflects the colors of the sea and sky. Moon Stone, a translucent sphere, will float in the bay and change colors throughout the day in concert with the tide, which is determined by the position of the moon, uniting the celestial with the terrestrial. On the winter solstice, Sun Pillar will cast its shadow directly down on Moon Stone, like a sundial, and connect the two installations in the sea, serving as a ceremonial emblem of eternal rebirth for all living things. Primal Rhythm was gifted to Gaia Art Association to promote art and culture on Miyako Island. Learn more

Ring: One with Nature (2016) was inspired by a dream of Mariko Mori’s in which a heavenly ring appeared above a waterfall. It was installed in the Brazilian jungle to honor the element of water and lush rainforest and was endorsed by the Celebra Cultural Program of the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Ring realizes this vision, featuring a luminous hoop standing a colossal 20 feet, four inches tall and spanning nine feet, 10 inches in diameter. Set atop the Véu da Noiva Waterfall (Veil of the Bride) in Muriqui, Mangaratiba, this artwork is suspended at the peak of the 190-foot-tall cascade in the State of Rio de Janeiro. Ring changes colors during the daylight hours, and on the winter solstice, it aligns directly with the sun. While the five rings in the Olympics symbol represent five continents, Mori added Ring to embody gratitude towards nature. The work creates a harmonious relationship between art and Brazil’s renowned natural environment, reflecting the unity of humankind, our shared values, and diversity. Ring: One with Nature was gifted to Instituto Estadual do Ambiente (INEA) to continue the sustainable development of Rio de Janeiro and honor its environmental heritage. Learn more

Peace Crystal (2024), the height of the average modern human standing at five feet six inches tall, highlights the body as a container of an eternal soul. Carefully balanced on its most narrow point, Peace Crystal symbolizes bipedalism as a significant step in evolution, one that led to the development of intelligence and spirituality as upright posture allowed humans to receive energy from both celestial and terrestrial forces. The sphere at the core represents the eternal soul: the soul of every living being consistently cycles through life, death, and rebirth. Peace Crystal will be gifted to an institution in Ethiopia after its presentation in Venice.

Faou Foundation Artworks Under Development:

Australia

Europe

North America