MU – JAPAN

“MU” is a reference to a blank sheet of paper, an attitude of openness without preconceived ideas nor prejudices and is a tribute to Japan and its people. 

In 2013, during the Spain–Japan Dual Year commemorating 400 years of bilateral relations, Berned collaborated with Pritzker Prize-winning architect Toyo Ito to create the MU Project.

The exhibition, held at Grin Grin Park in Fukuoka, Japan, featured seven monumental sculptures. Six of the sculptures are scattered throughout the open spaces between the pond and the greenhouse, provoking an alternative path further to the existing one, which simultaneously, is in dialogue with the building. The seventh of the sculptures is located at the Embassy of Spain in Tokyo. These works, crafted from stainless steel with polished finishes and corten steel with oxidised finishes, embody Berned’s exploration of geometry and space, seamlessly integrating with the natural surroundings of the park.

This video delves into each of the individual pieces,

MICHI – Encounter,

YAMI – Hug,

JIKAN – Loyalty,

HIKARI – Protection,

MU – Honesty,

KUKAN – Duality, and

MA – Defense.