Glimpses of Ma

The film explores the concept of "Ma" through human interactions within the different spaces of public Tokyo. "Ma" is a Japanese concept used in architecture, music, martial arts, and other systems of formalized aesthetics. It has several meanings and can be approached from different vantage points. Seen as space between two points, "Ma" came to focus essentially on emptiness. The emptiness in public places seems to create an invisible boundary between occupied space and non-occupied space. This vision of space allows for subcultures to harmoniously exist within public places. They seem unthreatening by virtue of the fact that they occupy a clearly delineated space. The individual walking by, the spectator moving through the non-occupied space, can look into their world while keeping a defined and comfortable boundary between himself and the subculture. In the various spaces, the camera becomes one of the spectators looking in, yet never moving through the invisible boundary that has been created.