constrained surface exemplifies Ryoichi Kurokawa’s approach to art-making and his experimentation with the qualities of synaesthesia, a core part of his work. Synaesthesia, in medical terms, refers to a condition where a sensation in one of the senses triggers a sensation in another. This results in a merging of experience in unexpected ways, where one may taste numbers, or hear colours. Within an arts context, this term marks the merging of a sensory experience to the point where you cannot adequately describe one input (i.e. sound) without talking about another (touch, sight, smell).

constrained surface delivers a synaesthetic experience through its unison of light, colour, sound and movement as well as exploring the surprising possibilities of what can be experienced within the boundaries of a frame.

By playing with the confines of a screen almost in the way a painter would play with the limits of a canvas, this work highlights the way in which Kurokawa deftly uses digital methods and tools (as well as commercial technology) to articulate his work. He does so whilst ensuring that the technological elements never overshadow the expression within the piece, but rather enhance the artistic experience, creating moments of surprise and wonder.