top of page

Naoko Tanaka

(*1975 in Tokyo)

​works at the intersection of visual and performing arts. Her practice spans drawing, film, installation, and performance. After studying at Tokyo University of the Arts and the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, she worked as artist duo Ludica, which was invited to Tanzplattform Deutschland in 2010.

With her solo series Shadow Trilogy (2011–2015), she developed an independent and internationally recognized format of performative installations. She has received awards and distinctions from, among others, ImPulsTanz – Vienna International Dance Festival and the Zürcher Theater Spektakel.

In her work, she explores how individual and collective memories shape the perception of space—often through subtle compositions of light, shadow, and movement.

Her production Still Lives (2018), which she describes as a “scenic installation,” was realized in collaboration with KYOTO EXPERIMENT as a one-time performance in the former imperial villa of Nijō Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and at the same time a symbol of Japan’s modernization.

Her installation works have also been presented at the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale. In addition, she has collaborated with musicians such as Oval (Markus Popp) and Colleen. In 2014, she was a guest professor at Leipzig University.

She lives and works in Berlin.

​​

​​

PR_tanaka_sw.jpg
Stage Productions (Installation-Performances)
 

2023 "Milliarden Jahre Widerhall" (Premiere : SOPHIENSÆLE, Berlin, DE)

2018 "STILL LIVES" (Premiere : SOPHIENSÆLE, Berlin, DE)
2016 "Zone" (Premiere: Echigo Tsumari Satoyama Museum / Niigata, JP)
2015 "Unverinnerlicht" (Premiere : SOPHIENSÆLE, Berlin, DE)
2012 "Absolute Helligkeit" (Premiere : SOPHIENSÆLE, Berlin, DE)
2011 “Die Scheinwerferin“ (Premiere : SOPHIENSÆLE, Berlin, DE)
 

Tour of Stage Productions (selected)
 
2024 "Milliarden Jahre Widerhall" Eisfabrik Hannover, PACT Zollverein, FFT Düsseldorf, FWT Köln, DE
2018 "STILL LIVES" KYOTO EXPERIMENT 2018, Kyoto, JP
2017 “Unverinnerlicht” KYOTO EXPERIMENT 2017, Kyoto, JP
2015 “Absolute Helligkeit” Echigo Tsumari Art Triennale / Echigo Tsumari, Niigata, JP
2015 “Unverinnerlicht” PACT Zollverein, Essen, DE
2014 “Absolute Helligkeit” Theaterfestival Favoriten 2014 / Dortmund, DE
2014 “Die Scheinwerferin“ International Art Festival"Ichihara Art x Mix" / Ichihara, JP
2013 “Absolute Helligkeit” PACT Sommerfest / PACT Zollverein, Essen, DE
2013 “Absolute Helligkeit” 18. Internationales Figurentheater-Festival / Erlangen, DE
2013 “Absolute Helligkeit” Danae Festival / Milano, IT
2013 “Die Scheinwerferin“ ]domaines[ national choreographic center, Montpellier, FR
2012 “Die Scheinwerferin“ NEXT Festival / Buda, Kortrijk, BE
2012 “Die Scheinwerferin“ L1Festival / Budapest, HU
2012 “Die Scheinwerferin“ Zürcher Theater Spektakel / Rote Fabrik, Zurich, CH
2012 “Die Scheinwerferin“ ImPulsTanz / Kasino am Schwarzenbergplatz,Vienna, AT
2012 “Die Scheinwerferin“ TJCC Festival / Theatre de Gennevilliers, Paris, FR
2012 “Die Scheinwerferin“ Korzo, Den Haag, NL
2012 “Die Scheinwerferin“ Südpol, Luzern, CH
2011 “Die Scheinwerferin“ Festival INFANT 2011 / Novi Sad, RS


Naoko Tanaka & Oval (Markus Popp) audio visual Performance - Tour (selected)
 
2014 Festival Latitudes Contemporaines (Lille,FR)
2012 Sophiensaele (Berlin, DE)
2011 "Paeanumnion"MOUSE ON MARS & musikFabrik, Gast: Oval & The Allophons
(the Cologne Philharmonic, DE)
2011 Roter Salon/Volksbühne (Berlin, DE)
 

the artists’ collective “Ludica.(Morgan Nardi & Naoko Tanaka)”  Performances 

2009 "THE CORNER" (Premiere : tanzhaus nrw, Dusseldorf, DE )
2008 "Anmerkung 134/eine Hommage an PPP“ (Premiere : tanzhaus nrw, Dusseldorf, DE)
2006 "Koko Doko" (Premiere : La ferme du Buison, Paris, France)
2005 "des hommes" (Premiere : Fabrik Heeder, Krefeld, DE)
2005 "W - double you" (Premiere : tanzhaus nrw, Dusseldorf, DE)
2004 "SONGOFMYSELF" (Premiere : Grand Théâtre de la Ville, LUX)
2003 "1," -eins komma- (Premiere : FFT Juta, Dusseldorf, DE)
2002 "das Orchideenzimmer" (Premiere : Salon des Arts, Dusseldorf, DE)
2001 "von Rosen, da beißt sie ab" (Premiere : Ballhaus, Dusseldorf, DE)
 

Festival-participation as the artists’ collective“Ludica.(Morgan Nardi & Naoko Tanaka)”

2010 “Tanzplattform2010“, Nurnberg, DE
2009 “International theater festival“, Aarhus, DK
2009 “Festival Temps d’Images“, Dusseldorf, DE
2008 “Festival O!VACIJA” Riga, LV
2008 “Festival Temps d’Images“, Montreal, CA
2006 “Festival Temps d’Images“, Paris, FR
2005 “fused – TanzKunst in Krefeld”, Krefeld, DE
2004 “Tanzstraße 2004 – contemprary Dance in NRW“, DE
2002 “Festival Cour de Capucins“, LUX
 

Exhibitions / Installations / Filmpresentations (selected)
 
2025 "Stadt(T)Räume-Bilder-Schaukasten; Düsseldorf träumt"/ FFT Düsseldorf, DE
2024 "Träume der Materie #1: Schlafen im Wald" Festival Theater der Dinge / Schaubude Berlin, DE
2024   100nengo-art-festival   Ichihara, JP
2023 "Stadt(T)räume-Bilder-Schaukasten" / Kunsthaus Mitte in Oberhausen, DE
2021 “WeiTräumige Lichtung” performative Installation / TheaterhausG7, Mannheim, DE
2019  "Licht-Fängerin" / Japan Lektüren Yuko Chigira & Yoko Tawada (Literarisches Colloquium Berlin, DE
2017 "Schatten Trilogie. Objekte, Skizzen, Kollagen" / Sophiensaele Berlin / Eisfabrik Hannover, DE
2016 "Reverie of Substances" / KINARE - Echigo-Tsumari Satoyama Museum of Contemporary Art, Niigata, JP
2015 "Echigo Tsumari Art Triennale" / Echigo Tsumari, Niigata, JP
2014 International Art Festival"Ichihara Art x Mix" / Ichihara, JP
2013 “Reflexionsraum für Die Scheinwerferin“ & Dialog mit Hugues de Montalembert  /  ]domaines[ national choreographic center, Montpellier, FR
2012 "Scheinbar wirklich" / Nidwaldner Museum, Stans, CH
2011 Installation for "Anmerkung134" / Schaubühne Lindenfeld/Westflügel, Leipzig, DE
2008 "ZENcycle" / Radialsystem, Berlin, DE 
2006 "das Schattenfeld"/ Haus Greifenhorst, Krefeld, DE
2006 "SUPERINTENSE-curated by Ong Keng Sen" / Tanzquartier, Vienna, AT – Filmpresentation
2005 "Festival Temps d’images"/ tanzhaus nrw, Dusseldorf, DE
2005 "D/J Brand" / Museum der staatlichen Uni. für Bildende Kunst Musik, Tokyo, JP
2004 "Emprise ART AWARD 2004" / Muesum NRW Forum Dusseldorf /Museum Baden, Solingen, DE
2004 "Kunstfilm Biennale"/ Ludwig Museum, Cologne, DE 
2000 "De Een Minuten Nu", Paradiso, Amsterdam, NL 
​
​

Permanent Installation / Collection

​

2020 - "The Faraway House" Site-Specific Installation (ARS Tsukide, Ichihara, JP)

2013 - "Gnade des Kranichs" (Kranich Museum, Hessenburg, DE) 

​

Scenography

2011 Video/Live-drawing for the Production of Fabien Prioville “Nous”
2010 Scenography/Videoinstallation for the Production of Jens Bjerregaard/MANCOPY “Simple Moves” 
2009 Scenography for the Production of Commedia Futura “SCHLAGT EURE ZÄHNE IN MEIN HERZ“
2008 Scenography/Videoinstallation for the Production of melkbook “UNTER TAGE / LEUCHTEN“ 
2008 Scenography/Videoinstallation for the Production of Helge Latonja/Stepptext dance project “Darkland“
2007 Videoinstallation for the Production of Sabine Seume “Bodylandscaps “das blanke Wesen“
2006 Videoinstallation for the Production of Sabine Seume “Die Königin der Farben"


Seminar, Lectures and Workshops (selected)

2014 "Workshop - Licht und Schatten." (Tatendrang / Theaterfestival Favoriten 2014, Dortmund, DE)
2014 Artistic guest professor, Summer Semester2014 (Institut of Theater Study, Leipzig University, DE)
2012 Workshop “Shadow - a tool of cognition” (Buda, Kortrijk, BE)
2010 Lecture "Lebendige Räume” (TU Berlin/depertment of architecture, DE)
2008 Workshop (as Ludica.)(Riga, LTU)
2007 Lecture "BildBewegung" (as Ludica.) (tanzhaus nrw, Dusseldorf, DE)
2007 Lecture "Spazi Vitali" (as Ludica.) (Venedig Biennale, IT)


Prizes

2012 "ZKB Acknowledgment Prize"/ Zürcher Theater Spektakel, Zurich, CH
2012 "Prix Jardin d' Europe 2012"/ Festival ImPulsTanz, Vienna, AT
2011 "the Aword for the particular expressivity on the border areas between theatrical and other arts on 38th International Festival of Alternative and New Theatre"/ Festival INFANT, Novi Sad, Serbia
2002 "Tendances 2002- 1. Preis" Festival Cour des Capucins in Luxembourg(together with Morgan Nardi)


Scholarships (selected)
 
2025 Recherche-Stipendium Performing Arts, Kunststiftung NRW, DE
2024 Fellowship, PACT Zollverein, DE
2019 Arbeits- und Recherchestipendium Senatskanzlei Kulturelle Angelegenheiten, Berlin, DE
2015 Arbeits- und Recherchestipendium Senatskanzlei Kulturelle Angelegenheiten, Berlin, DE
2010-12 Scholarship of the Agency for Cultural Affairs, JP
2009 Scholarship of the POLA Art Foundation, JP
1999 Scholarship of the Union Foundation, JP
 

Education

1999- 2001 Studies by Professor Jetelova at the Art-Academy Dusseldorf, Germany
1997- 1999 Master Studies at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts, Japan (MFA)
1993- 1997 Studies at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts, Japan 
bottom of page