From Feb. 7 to Mar. 30, the main venue of MEDIA AMBITION TOKYO 2014 on the 52F “Tokyo City View” observation deck of Roppongi Hills hosted creative group RHIZOMATIKS and INTERSECT BY LEXUS’ installation “Physical Presence,” incorporating the LEXUS LFA Nürburgring Package as central motif.

In front of the exhibit, a stage was set up for a talk session featuring RHIZOMATIKS President Seiichi Saito, Executive Vice President of LEXUS INTERNATIONAL Tokuo Fukuichi, and JTQ President Junji Tanigawa, the originator and organizer of MEDIA AMBITION TOKYO. WIRED magazine Chief Editor Megumi Wakabayashi moderated the event, on the theme “The future of technology-induced art and design.”

First, the exhibit itself was introduced. “We often look at cars from the front, so this time I wanted to show the car’s functional beauty from the back,” Mr. Saito explained. “I wanted to make the installation fit in with its surroundings, using LED fluorescent lights, sound and wind to make it jump out of its enclosure. It represents physical presence, speed and the passage of time.” Mr. Fukuichi added that the rear view expresses the car’s framework and that the use of light and sound adds an axis of time, making it leap out from the space.

The conversation turned to the relationship between cars and technology. Ms. Wakabayashi asked whether advances in technology have changed the nature of cars. Mr. Fukuichi responded that it will always be people who drive the cars, regardless of advances in technology, so technology should come second. For example, an office may be a logical space, but at home you want to relax on a sofa.

Mr. Saito suggested that this point of view may change if self-driving cars become a reality: “Some people will no doubt prefer to drive cars themselves. We already see this with smart phones, construction and other areas.” Mr. Tanigawa added that MEDIA AMBITION TOKYO 2014 showed that the borders between many areas are becoming blurred: “Although the theme is technology art, the participating artists also do commercial work. Similarly, half of the people using the internet do this on smart phones or tablets rather than PCs.”

After that, reference was made to the value of cars, which is not limited to efficiency, and the border between art and design. Finally, Mr. Tanigawa talked about his ideas behind MEDIA AMBITION TOKYO as a product of the participation of many different people. After listening to the speakers, the guests were able to experience “Physical Presence” for themselves before the event came to a close.