The Folklore Inspiration
Shadow Eaters draws from the visceral imagery found in early Japanese naturalistic myths, where life is not merely extinguished but transformed. The project is inspired by ancient Japanese folklore regarding the Mushi — swarms of flies birthed from the marrow of decaying carcasses.
In these tales, the death of a great beast provides the literal atmospheric conditions for a new, collective life form to emerge. These “Shadow Eaters” represent the ultimate form of recycling — entities that exist only to consume the remnants of what once was, ensuring that nothing, not even a silhouette, is left to the void.
In this installation, the “carcass” is no longer physical flesh, but the silhouette of the observer: the shadow.
The Experience
Upon entering the space, viewers encounter a stark, illuminated wall crawling with a frenetic, generative swarm of kinetic insects.
The Hunt
As a viewer's shadow is cast upon the surface, the swarm detects the dark void. The insects break their patterns and descend upon the edges of the silhouette.
The Consumption
Through real-time tracking, the insects appear to 'bite' into the shadow — tearing away fragments of the viewer's projected self.
Regeneration
Each ‘morsel’ of shadow consumed fuels the swarm, causing the insects to multiply and grow more aggressive.
The Erasure
If the viewer remains still, the swarm systematically devours the entire shadow until the wall returns to a blank, blinding white — leaving the viewer physically present but visually erased from the space.
Technical & Visual Narrative
Implementation details
Visuals High-contrast, monochromatic aesthetic. Insects move with flocking algorithms (Boids) — mimicking the erratic yet unified movement of real carrion flies.
Audio A spatialized, binaural soundscape of thousands of fluttering wings that increases in volume and frequency as the shadow is consumed.
Metaphor The installation serves as a memento mori — reminding the participant that our presence in the world is ephemeral, and that time — the ultimate Shadow Eater — is constantly eroding our footprint.
Documentation
Shadow Eaters installation — NID, 2014