Takako Saito's participatory art turns spectators into players

Takako Saito, a Japanese artist associated with Fluxus, spent over seven decades creating art that invites touch, rearrangement, and sensory engagement. Her works, such as 'Spice Chess', 'Sound Chess', 'Liquor Chess', and 'Nut & Bolt Chess', transform the classic game of chess into exercises in perception, relying on scent, sound, taste, weight, and touch rather than sight. Projects like 'Portrait of Fluxus' allow visitors to arrange magnetic elements into evolving compositions, making the audience active collaborators. Saito used humble materials—spices, shells, paper, fabric, boxes, and found objects—to encourage interaction. Her practice anticipated contemporary experience culture without relying on digital interfaces, emphasizing trust and participation. The article is part of designboom's Play chapter and includes images courtesy of Museum für Gegenwartskunst Siegen, the artist, and CAPC Bordeaux.