A painter, sculptor, researcher and philosopher of nature, the artist progressed towards sculpture and movement. Sculpting wind, water and gravity, Susumu Shingu uses high technologies and the talents of his time to create installations in harmony with the secrets rhythms of the planet. He often collaborates with personalities such as Renzo Piano, Tadao Ando, Issey Miyake, Jiři Kilián…Entirely subjected to the forces of nature, his often-monumental sculptures have been installed around the world for the past 40 years.

The ecological dimension of his work is obvious and finds its perfect resonance in a field, which is also dedicated to nature. However, the connexion to Chambord is even more poignant this year, since Susumu Shingu shares with Leonardo da Vinci several similar artistic concerns. Just as Leonardo da Vinci, Susumu Shingu creates like a mechanical engineer, is passionate about the question of flows, endless movements, and draws continously in a notebook. More over, he has been working several years on an utopian village, dedicated to the arts, where artists will be invited to work togehter. Susumu Shingu has drawn the architectural plan, according to a true utopian dimension, which echos the specific utopia that characterizes Chambord. The artist’s village project in Japan has just recently been officially announed by the Governor of Hyogo, in the region of Kobe.

At Chambord, the exhibition will present the model of Susumu Shingu’s future village and its different elements, together with preparatory drawings and photographes of the site, where the village will be built. Mobile sculptures suspended from the ceiling, illustrated by drawings and the artist’s notebooks, will give the visitor insight into the Japanese artist’s unique univers, which is precise, as well as dreamlike. Finally, outside the castle, several works, notably a magnificent flotting sculpture on the canal, will highlight the kinship with the Florentine master and the fascinating energy of an artistic work entirely in harmony with the world.

Video “Susumu Shingu, une utopie d’aujourd’hui” by Mitsuharu Tanida