Ambient-Garden is a collaboration with the Museum Rietberg, Zurich. 

Ambient-Garden is a concert / listening series that takes place during the summer months on 2-3 afternoons in Rietberg Park. These events are designed to encourage visitors to linger in the park and immerse themselves in the musical worlds of the performers. The Ambient-Garden events typically run from around 14:00 to 18:00 and are free of charge. Concerts are enjoyed while sitting or lying down, and attendees are encouraged to bring blankets.

We will commission new works by Japanese Artist who will create ambient-style musical works which are contextualized with ongoing exhibitions of the Museum Rietberg.

During a research trip in early 2024, funded by Pro Helvetia, I had the opportunity to explore Japan's contemporary ambient music scene. The following guiding questions accompanied me during conversations, studio visits, and concert attendance: How do contemporary artists engage with the cultural heritage of Kankyō Ongaku, and how does their artistic practice reflect in the cultural and societal present? How can contemporary Japanese ambient music be situated within a cultural-historical context? The Museum Rietberg provides the ideal framework for collectively exploring these questions and presenting them within the scope of events.

The focus is on contextualizing contemporary ambient culture through events within a cultural-historical framework. This means, on one hand, that commissioned works engage historical elements in dialogue with contemporary ones, for example, through the use of traditional instruments. On the other hand, various cultural-historical aspects of ambient music are addressed and conveyed for each occasion – regarding nature, but also ambient as a self-technique with aspects of social environment such as family, community organizations, and communication technologies. A special focus is also placed on the parallels between ambient culture and Japan's Zen tradition.