Yuma Yanagisawa is a Japanese artist who experiments with creative coding to create immersive, interactive algorithmic compositions. Yanagisawa creates immersive, experimental installations with real-time graphics, which materialise as code-based illustrations from fractals to AI-generated imagery and photorealistic visualisations using physically-based rendering. We spoke to him about his practice and working with technology.
1. How would you describe your practice?
My work is rooted in generative systems and computational aesthetics, using code as a central element of the artistic process. I create visual compositions ranging from generative illustrations to real-time graphics, often inspired by nature. Through immersive installations and contemporary digital techniques, I explore how digital tools can offer new perspectives on perception and artistic experience.
2. What interests you about working with technology?
What interests me about working with technology is the way it allows me to push the boundaries of artistic expression. Technology opens up new ways of creating, manipulating, and experiencing art that traditional mediums simply can't offer. Through code, algorithms, and digital tools, I can generate complex forms, dynamic environments, and immersive experiences that evolve in real time. It gives me the freedom to experiment with new techniques, embrace the unpredictable, and engage with audiences in fresh, interactive ways. Technology also provides the ability to bridge different disciplines in ways that feel truly innovative.
3. What do you want the viewer to take away from your work?
For the past few years, creating meditative environments has been an integral part of my practice, but I am now exploring ways to add extra layers—inviting more evocative and reflective experiences. I’m interested in developing multi-sensory works by incorporating elements such as sound, aiming to deepen the viewer’s engagement and emotional resonance. Rather than presenting optimism directly, I hope to create immersive spaces that allow for introspection, where viewers can momentarily step outside of their everyday experiences and connect with something beyond themselves.
4. How would you describe the relationship between art and innovation?
I see innovation in art not just as the use of new tools or technologies, but as a way of thinking—an openness to experimentation, risk-taking, and reimagining what an artwork can be. In that sense, innovation is embedded in the creative process itself. As someone who works with digital tools and code, I’m often navigating emerging possibilities, but I don’t pursue innovation for its own sake. I’m more interested in how it can serve the experience—how new approaches can open up unexpected emotional, perceptual, or conceptual dimensions for the viewer.
5. What are you currently working on?
I’m currently developing two real-time systems. One is a commissioned project where I’m creating a visual system that evolves based on real-time data. The other is a personal project in which I’m exploring how to integrate sound into a generative environment. Both projects build on my interest in dynamic systems and multi-sensory experiences, and reflect my ongoing research into real-time visual expression.
