Inside NONOTAK’s Hypnotic World of Light and Sound

In a time where art increasingly spans dimensions—physical, digital, sonic—few do it as seamlessly as NONOTAK. Founded in 2011 by visual artist Noemi Schipfer and architect-musician Takami Nakamoto, the Paris-based duo has become synonymous with sensorial environments that collapse the distinctions between space, light, and sound. Their immersive installations and performances aren't just audiovisual spectacles; they are living, breathing ecosystems that respond to and reimagine the architecture they inhabit. Whether crafting site-specific pieces that echo through forgotten spaces or kinetic modules designed to transform any environment, NONOTAK’s work is both deeply technical and profoundly intuitive.

As their presence grows on the global stage—from large-scale festivals to permanent installations—NONOTAK continues to challenge the boundaries of experience. With a background rooted in architecture, analog processes, and a love of Japanese minimalism, their art is a poetic conversation between control and chaos, permanence and ephemerality. Ahead of their participation at AVA Festival in London, we sat down with the duo to explore their creative process, relationship with evolving technologies, and the importance of letting audiences get lost in the moment.

Noemi from NONOTAK during AVA Festival in London

Takami from NONOTAKA during AVA Festival in London

NONOTAK is known for creating hypnotic audiovisual environments that blur the lines between sound, light, and space. What initially drew you to explore this intersection of disciplines?

Takami: My background is architecture and music. Used to play guitar in a band while studying architecture and already liked to explore the relationship of space to sound. The level of attention and details in light setups in my architectural project was always the fundamental element in my ideas but seemed hard to explore in real life. I think that's how I shifted from architecture to the Nonotak project. I was also really into creating our own studio that would be a laboratory for light and sound experiments, explore the world and share our work and message about light with many different people.We wanted people to realize the power of combining light, sound and space in a particular way, to express a particular idea. Let them explore the piece and feel the experience by themselves.

Can you walk us through your process when developing a new installation or live performance? Do you start with a visual concept, a sound idea, or does it evolve organically?

Takami: We have a spectrum of different scales of installation with different approaches to space. Some pieces are thought in a way they present themselves in a black box where the surrounding environment becomes non-existent, and only our work suggests the space. We like that format because it allows us to have full control over the light contrast and environment. Some installations are what we call "in situ" which stands for "site-specific" installation.These pieces are unique because they only work once, in the specific space we will program the lights and sounds at. Usually, the ideas that come for these projects are inspired by the architecture first. We think about how sound could travel and shift the mood, and which setup could transform space in which ways. After these decisions, the whole piece evolves organically as we create a system where we can change audio and light in real time. Some installations are also thought of as 'modules' to change and shift space. So even without a particular space in mind, we have an idea of what effect this module could generate in various types of spaces. This is usually the case for kinetic installations that have a huge impact on their surroundings in our opinion.

Your work balances analog and digital techniques in a way that feels both futuristic and deeply immersive. How do you approach the use of technology while maintaining artistic intuition?

Noemi: Technology is a tool to us, and not a medium. Since the beginning, no matter what tech we are using, we are trying to hide it so people can only focus on the art and experience. The capabilities allowed by certain technology and how they evolve can unlock possibilities, and that could inspire us to develop a piece using these tools. As long as you consider softwares and technology in general as a tool that empowers your ideas and let them become practicable in the real work, I think you are maintaining artistic intuition.But it is also important to not get trapped in the perspective of always using new technology, since many old and analog technologies still seem like magic to me. But one true thing is that having better and better computing helps with everything, and makes every process feel a bit closer to 'natural'.

Your projects often transform architectural spaces into living, breathing experiences. How does the venue or setting influence the way you design your installations?

Noemi: As explained earlier, it really depends on the type and scale of installation we are trying to explore. Architecture can shift our inspiration in a way that most of our ideas are based on highlighting it in an unusual way. It is also great to know the history of the space since we know that locals are going to witness a totally new way to experience a space they have already explored before in a different way. It is also important to look at the possibilities within a space and take advantage of as many options as possible. How sound will travel space is primordial and we would immediately have a feel of what kind of soundscape would fit the space. Trying to express it through actual sound is the longest part.

You’re part of the AVA Festival in London this year—what can audiences expect?

Takami: Indeed! And thanks to AVA Festival for having us. This year we are not presenting any installation or live performance but a conference talk. We will present our approach and give a more in depth perspective of some of our work. The audience will also be able to talk to us directly and we think it is a great opportunity to meet with the community. The audience is composed of people who have no idea about Nonotak, people who follow our work for years but also many artists who are active within the art community. So it is also great to show up in a conference environment and be able to get some distance about our work and answer questions. Sometimes answering and explaining also teaches us about ourselves and our work as well! I think it is a good opportunity.

How does performing at a festival like AVA differ from presenting your work in a gallery or museum setting? Does the energy of a festival change the way you approach your visuals and sound?

Noemi: Festivals always feel different from a gallery or museum setting since it is a less permanent approach. It is a good platform to experiment and gather people who are not necessarily there for the art but also the music. We like the fact music and the experiential art we and other artists create can evolve together as a cross culture process. Some audiences in festivals are not used to installation art and we like to witness their reaction and see how actually universal our experiences are, since we usually claim there is no wall that separates the art and the audience in our art.

Are there any artists, musicians, or even architectural influences that have shaped the way you think about sound and space?

Takami: I evolved while being inspired by contemporary Japanese architects and Japanese artists. I also feel deeply connected to Japanese Artisans' work and I was lucky enough to evolve around people who also enjoy these aesthetics. In architecture I would say I was introduced to materiality with japanese pottery and Ando Tadao's concrete, to minimalism through Seijima's SANAA architecture studio, introduced to installation scale architecture through Sou Fujimoto's work, got into IDM listening to Ryoji Ikeda, and started becoming sensitive to installation art through Tokujin's work. The city, and the urban flux, is something that inspires me in my work and I would say Tokyo has one of my favorite spots to walk around and listen to music.

What excites you most about the future of NONOTAK? Any upcoming projects or dream collaborations on the horizon?

Noemi: We have a lot of new projects in preparation but we would like to keep the surprise for later!But in terms of the future, we have more and more projects in Japan, which we enjoy since we both have Japanese roots and feel like discovering more about our DNA while spending time there.

Takami: While being born and based in Paris, France and travelling abroad all the time, I've lost track of my identity a little bit ( which felt great too since i would get influenced by so many different cultures while touring and discovering) and because of that, it feels great developing more in my country of origin while continuing to share our work worldwide. Permanent installations also became an important part within our range of work. They take longer time to complete and have more restrictions due to the life shelf they are required to fulfill, but it is really fascinating to think about the idea that our works will stay there for decades. I like how this only detail would affect the approach and the concepts of the works.

Interview by @danielface_

Press by @love.the.message

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