Unknown Liberation - Enchanted Music of the Spheres - | 3rd Generation Introduction Column #1 | Witch of Freedom El | ASIBA

The third cohort of ASIBA’s incubation program began in April. In this column, we’ll be introducing the third-cohort participants who have embarked on their journey as creative entrepreneurs.This time, we spoke with El, the “Witch of Freedom,” who is attempting to bring Pythagoras’s theory of “The Music of the Spheres” to life as art. We asked her what first sparked her fascination with this theory and what she plans to tackle next. (Interviewer: Yuki Aino; Text: Michihiro Abe)

Profile [ El, the Witch of Freedom ] A witch of freedom who liberates the world’s unknown through Experimental Art. Having been saved by a culture akin to magic, she became captivated by the hope inherent in the unknown and creates art that weaves together folklore and cultures from around the world. In her hometown of Sado Island, she organizes grounding yoga experiences and plans projects that blend spirituality with regional revitalization and tourism. She is also engaged in diverse creative activities, such as collaborations with apparel brands. Through art inspired by ancient Greece’s “Theory of the Music of the Spheres,” she pursues creative work that encourages a shift in global values.

──First, please tell us about El and the project you’re currently working on. I go by the name “El, the Witch of Freedom,” and as the title “witch” suggests, I’m drawn to the unknown values and cultures associated with magic.This is precisely what I’m working on in this incubation program—a project that attempts to bring the ancient Greek theory of “Music of the Spheres” to life as art.“The Music of the Spheres” was first proposed by Pythagoras; it’s a grand, romantic theory that suggests sounds are generated by the movements of celestial bodies, causing the entire universe to play music—though, of course, we can’t actually hear these sounds. Having fallen in love with this poetic theory, I’m conducting experiments to discover what these sounds might actually sound like.

──Your passion really comes through. What sparked your interest in these unfamiliar values? I think many people fear these things, but when I was young, I was terrified of death and illness. It got to the point where I even developed a mental illness called Tourette’s syndrome—and that’s when I encountered magic. You probably think of magic as just a fairy tale, right? But in medieval Europe, it was actually studied as a science and had its own history and culture. When I learned that, I thought, “Maybe I can resolve my own struggles through magic,” and it became a source of hope in my life. At the same time, I realized that since we live within such limited spheres of life, we rarely have the opportunity to encounter cultures from the far corners of the world. I started this project because I believed that by sharing the world’s diverse values through art, I could help many people experience the same sense of hope that I had found.

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──The incubation program has now completed its third cycle. Has your approach changed in any way? At first, I aimed to verify what would happen if I turned the “Music of the Spheres”—a purely theoretical concept—into reality, but I realized it would be easier to take action if I set a goal that was a bit more inclusive of art as a whole. My current goal is to “convey the magical quality of the Music of the Spheres.” What I want to convey is the charm of “Music of the Spheres”—that is, the signified—but inevitably, it can only be conveyed through signifiers like words, right?But the signified and the signifier are not the same thing. That’s a tricky part, but since the story that connects the signified and the signifier would be boring if it were a fabricated or superficial narrative, I’ve shifted my focus to creating works with that in mind, aiming to convey the magic inherent in the “Music of the Spheres.”

──Please tell us about your next steps. Up until now, I’ve been working on giving concrete form to my own experiences through four-panel comics. Since I’ve been doing nothing but thought experiments, I’m going to get my hands moving and start producing actual work. I want to explore what kind of experience I’ll gain when I bring the imaginings I’ve depicted in my four-panel comics to life in reality.

ASIBA General Incorporated Association [ASIBA Creative Incubation 3rd] *This interview was conducted on May 13, 2025.

Profile [ El, the Witch of Freedom ] A witch of freedom who liberates the world’s unknown through Experimental Art. Having been saved by a culture akin to magic, she became captivated by the hope inherent in the unknown and creates art that weaves together folklore and cultures from around the world. In her hometown of Sado Island, she organizes grounding yoga experiences and plans projects that blend spirituality with regional revitalization and tourism. She is also engaged in diverse creative activities, such as collaborations with apparel brands. Through art inspired by ancient Greece’s “Theory of the Music of the Spheres,” she pursues creative work that encourages a shift in global values.

FIG.2

ASIBA General Incorporated Association [ASIBA Creative Incubation 3rd] *This interview was conducted on May 13, 2025.