About This Award

Call for Entries in 24th Festival

Spherical Exhibitions at Miraikan

• Miraikan has two spherical video systems. The first is Geo-Cosmos, a spherical display and the museum’s signature exhibition. The second is Dome Theater GAIA, equipped with a full-dome 3D video system.
  Geo-Cosmos and Dome Theater GAIA are identical in the systems that they are both designed for spherical video images. The only difference between the two is the “viewpoint”, that one is designed to be viewed from the outside of the sphere, and the other is designed to be viewed from the inside. The globe-like display enables viewers to change a viewpoint, which affects the way they interpret and experience the content. With Geo-Cosmos, viewers are free to choose a viewpoint, and to move around as they experience looking at the outside of the sphere. On the other hand, Dome Theater GAIA has a feature that viewers sit in a fixed position to experience a sense of immersion surrounded by video and sound.
  Looking forward to seeing expressions taking advantage of those differences, the festival calls for a work in the two categories, “Geo-Cosmos Category” and “Dome Theater Category.”

Video Image Concept

• Sharing a New World: Crossing Borders

  In 2020, humankind has undergone an exceptional experience: the entire world is facing the same problem, a problem that has spread beyond the borders of nations and regions. Society and technology were changing with blinding speed until the brakes were slammed; many people have taken a long, hard look at the world stopped in its tracks. We encourage you to take advantage of the defining characteristic of the displays of the Miraikan—their spherical shape—to depict the world that unfolds around us without dividing it into sections, and to pioneer the expression of new viewpoints that change our global awareness.

Categories

• Geo-Cosmos Category

  For this category, we solicit video works and application programs designed for screening and viewing from multiple viewpoints on Geo-Cosmos, the signature exhibition of Miraikan.

  What is Geo-Cosmos?
  Geo-Cosmos is the signature exhibition of Miraikan. Geo-Cosmos originated from former astronaut and Miraikan Executive Director MOHRI Mamoru’s desire to share the glittering appearance of Earth as viewed from space with as many people as possible. Because viewers can see the same video images from several different angles, and there is no single “front” or “head-on” view, the video image platform is free of the restrictions of two-dimensional video, and opens up an endless range of video expression.
  Reference Material: Geo-Cosmos Technical Documentation

  [Screening of sample video]
  For the artists considering to submit their work for the Festival Platform Award, we will screen a sample video at Geo-Cosmos.
  Screening period: Monday, August 3, 2020 to Monday, October 19, 2020
  Show time: from 10:10 / from 16:45 (about 3 minutes each)
  

  You can see the works that won the past Geo-Cosmos Content Contest organized by Miraikan

• Dome Theater Category

  For this category, we solicit video works and application programs designed for screening in Dome Theater GAIA at Miraikan.

  What is Dome Theater GAIA?
  Dome Theater GAIA is a spherical video system that can project full-dome images in 4K resolution in both 2D and 3D onto a dome-shaped screen with a diameter of 15.24 m and 23° angle of inclination.
  Reference Material: Dome Theater GAIA Technical Documentation

Awards

• Festival Platform Award

Screening Criteria