Hiro Yamagata and the Laser Buddhas

The work of Hiro Yamagata is one of the things that inspired me to pursue industrial design professionally. His work exemplifies creative use of radical technology, the pushing of limits, and just having fun. However, one of his most recent projects showcases the power of imagination put to work through the framework of design to produce cultural healing and humanitarian/world heritage aid.

If you think back to that now oft-forgotten time known as pre-9/11 era, you might recall news of the destruction of 1500-year-old gigantic Buddha statues in Afghanistan. The destruction was ordered and carried out by the Taliban. Yes, that Taliban. The same group, just before the rest of the world knew or cared anything about them. This was a loss to world heritage akin the destruction of the Egyptian pyramids or Peru's Machu Picchu. However, out of destruction comes creation and out of problem comes opportunity. Hiro Yamagata considered what had happened and decided he wanted to do something about it. He developed a concept for digitally recreating the lost statues through the magic of modern technology and has unveiled a plan for images of the Buddhas to be projected onto the same cliff walls via powerful, long-range lasers. I think this work is as remarkable as it is inspiring. I hope to affect change in my own life and career through positive social action in ways not unlike this.

the project: http://www.bamiyanlaser.org/en/exhi.html

the artist: http://www.hiroyamagata.com/