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Japanese

1974

Shojiro Nakaoka is a Japanese composer, sound designer, and audiovisual artist who creates systems where sound generates visual form, working across programming, real-time performance, and pen plotter drawing. He has worked on titles such as Resident Evil 5, Xenogears, and Parasite Eve, while developing independent projects that translate audio into visual structures, from large-scale plotter drawings to experiments with AI-based sound models.

Image courtesy the artist.

Full Bio

Shojiro Nakaoka, born in 1974, is a Japanese composer, sound designer, and audiovisual artist whose work transforms electronic signals into evolving visual and sonic forms. He explores the borderlands between sound, code, and visual expression, often beginning with the flow of oscillations, waveforms, and generative patterns, and investigating how they can become structures that are both heard and seen.

In his practice, Nakaoka develops custom systems using environments such as Max/MSP and Processing, where sound generates its own visual form and images behave with the logic of signals. Oscilloscopes, vector drawings, and waveform modulation become instruments for real-time drawing, while his pen plotter works translate sound data and generative code into ink on paper. From small-scale studies to larger series such as OUT PLACE, these works combine the precision of software with the tactile qualities of pen, paper, and collage. Rather than aiming for complete control, Nakaoka builds frameworks that leave room for unpredictability, allowing images and textures to unfold with a balance of order and chance.

Beyond his independent practice, Nakaoka has worked extensively as a professional sound designer for film, games, and interactive media, and has received numerous advertising awards for his contributions to commercial projects. His works have been presented internationally, including at Vector Hack, the festival of experimental vector graphics, and in exhibitions across both physical and online platforms. He continues to explore how programming and signal-based systems can expand the possibilities of sound and image in equal measure.