Using Archetypal Astrology to Create Interactive Planetary Art | Nanae Itoi & Somya Desai
The World's First Exhibition on the Four Outer Planets of Astrology
Somya Desai, co-founder of Numinous Realm, sits down with interactive digital artist Nanae Itoi to explore the collaborative process behind "Planetary Realms" the world's first art exhibition on the four outer planets of astrology: Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto.
Hosted at Brooklyn Art Cave from September 26–28th, 2025, the exhibition invites audiences to step into an immersive experience where astrology, art, and archetypal imagination converge.
🪐 Join us at the Opening Night Party on September 26th from 7-10pm at 897 Broadway, Brooklyn NY 🪐
🎤 Live music and performances by:
Kanami Kusajima
Elf of NYC
danny lynch
Vero Collins
Realm Collective
🍸 Enjoy complimentary drinks courtesy of Zakuska Vodka 🍸
Use the code Planets20 for a special 20% discount!
https://www.brooklynartcave.com/event-details-registration/planetary-realms-group-exhibtion
✨ Join us and let's turn this gallery into a galaxy ✨
Summary of Video Transcript: Exploration between Somya Desai and Nanae Itoi on Art, Astrology, and AI Integration
[00:00 → 02:55]
Introduction and Background of NanaeNanae, a digital artist originally from Kyoto, Japan, has been living in New York since 2011 (around 14 years as of 2025).
Initially, Nanae worked in hair and makeup for fashion but eventually pursued a more artistic career by going back to school.
She started at BMCC, a community college, to take foundational courses since she had no prior college experience in Japan.
Part of her motivation for returning to school was to improve her English and to explore more artistic freedom beyond fashion.
Nanae started learning computer skills, including Photoshop and coding basics, to expand her digital art capabilities.
[02:55 → 05:50]
Nana’s Artistic Focus: Interactivity and Human ExperienceBefore COVID-19, Nana did not prioritize interactivity in her art because she was always interacting with people naturally.
The pandemic heightened her awareness of the value of real-time interaction and presence.
Nanae’s art centers on interactivity between human beings, space, and digital media, aiming to create live, shared experiences.
Her interests include human cognition, brain science, philosophy, and psychology, often exploring how humans process thoughts and emotions.
Examples include recent works integrating motion capture and live musician performances, where she translates movement into digital graphics, emphasizing living in the moment and shared human connection through art.
[05:50 → 10:07]
Existential Themes in Nanae’s ArtNanae’s work explores life cycles, memory, death, and reincarnation, questioning why humans remember loved ones after they die and how memories and pain are processed by the brain.
She contemplates the nature of spirit and incarnation, acknowledging that these are open-ended existential questions rather than definitive statements.
Nanae collaborates with musicians and poets to create multimedia works that loop ideas about birth, life, death, and rebirth.
The art is designed to provoke reflection and open dialogue rather than provide answers.
[10:07 → 14:49]
Art as Questioning and DialogueNanae views art as a means to pose questions and invite open conversation rather than assert fixed meanings or criticisms.
She believes the ability to question and reflect deeply is a uniquely human trait.
This mindset informs her approach to the collaborative project on astrology’s four outer planets: Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto.
Nanae appreciates Numinous Realm’s use of historical data and archetypal astrology in the project, which grounds the planetary themes in factual events and narratives rather than pure speculation.
[14:49 → 21:59]
Creative Process: Interpreting Planetary ArchetypesNanae found Saturn and Pluto archetypes “iconic” and easier to visualize. Somya suggests it possibly resonates because Nanae was born under a Saturn-Pluto alignment (born 1984).
She was initially drawn most to Uranus because of its association with invention, digital technology, brightness, and ideas, which align with her digital art practice.
However, she experienced some creative blocks with Uranus, feeling self-imposed restrictions in her painting style (mostly black calligraphy ink) and the challenge of translating the planetary moodboard’s imagery into art.
The Saturn and Pluto images invoked pain and gravity, which Nanae found easier to express because negative or heavy emotions tend to leave stronger impressions on human memory and creativity.
Nanae described a back-and-forth dialogue in the creative process, especially around Uranus, aiming to capture the feeling of aliveness and invention.
She is currently refining Uranus and progressing toward Neptune and Pluto artworks.
[21:59 → 29:27]
Digital Tools and Artistic ExperimentationNanae combines hand-drawing on iPad with AI tools and coding to create digital projections for the exhibition.
She experiments with multiple AI platforms via Polo (a multi-AI interface), including Google’s tools and Runway, to generate visual prompts and textures.
Nanae also uses VJ (Visual Jockey) software for live visuals and p5.js, a JavaScript library for creative coding, to produce animated textures and graphics through code.
Her workflow involves mixing traditional digital drawing, AI-generated imagery, and custom-coded animations to achieve layered, interactive projections.
This multidisciplinary approach aligns with Uranus’s archetype of experimentation, invention, and pushing boundaries.
[29:27 → 35:21]
Attitudes Toward AI in ArtNanae embraces AI as a tool for artistic experimentation and efficiency, rather than a threat.
She acknowledges many artists fear AI due to the unknown and potential disruption but believes familiarity reduces fear.
Nanae stresses the importance of understanding AI’s strengths and weaknesses to determine how AI complements human creativity rather than replaces it.
She encourages experimentation and learning about AI to find its place in art practice.
Nanae mentioned a recent exhibition controversy where the gallery asked her to remove obvious AI elements due to investor concerns, highlighting the ongoing tension around AI acceptance in art spaces.
[35:21 → 37:04]
Blending Physical and Digital in ArtNanae values maintaining physical artworks alongside digital experiments to explore the boundaries between tangible and virtual art.
She notes modern humans are like cyborgs, constantly merging with technology—phones as extensions of our hands—so her art reflects this hybrid reality.
The goal is to express ideas through both physical painting and digital interactivity, balancing traditional and cutting-edge mediums.
[37:04 → 40:28]
Upcoming Exhibition and Final ThoughtsThe exhibition Planetary Realms will feature live performances, motion capture, and digital projections reflecting the four outer planets’ archetypes.
Opening night party: September 26th, 7–10 p.m., Brooklyn, NY
The project exemplifies a collaboration across astrology, art, and technology, emphasizing data-driven archetypes and interactive multimedia experiences.
Nanae encourages visitors to engage with the exhibition as a space for reflection, dialogue, and experiencing new artistic forms.
The interview ends with mutual appreciation and hopes for future collaborations, including potential projects in Japan.
Key Insights and Themes
Interactivity and live presence are central to Nanae’s digital art philosophy.
Nanae’s work explores existential and philosophical questions through digital media, inviting open-ended conversations rather than fixed meanings.
The creative process is deeply personal, with emotional resonance (especially pain and memory) informing the visual expression of planetary archetypes.
Nanae integrates traditional painting, coding, AI, and live performance technologies to create layered digital art experiences.
She embraces AI as a creative collaborator and tool, advocating for experimentation and understanding rather than fear.
The exhibition merges astrology, data, and art to present culturally and historically grounded archetypes in innovative visual forms.
The project highlights collaborative, interdisciplinary approaches as vital to contemporary art and cultural production.
Timeline of Key Events and Concepts
00:00–02:55 Nana’s background: move to NYC, education path
02:55–05:50 Focus on interactivity and human connection
05:50–10:07 Existential themes: memory, death, reincarnation
10:07–14:49 Art as open questioning and dialogue
14:49–21:59 Creative process with planetary archetypes
21:59–29:27 Digital tools: AI, coding, VJ software
29:27–35:21 Attitudes toward AI in art and challenges
35:21–37:04 Blending physical and digital media
37:04–40:28 Exhibition details and closing thoughts
Keywords and Concepts
Digital art
Interactivity
Motion capture
Brain science
Philosophy
Psychology
Existential questions
Life cycle
Reincarnation
Archetypal astrology
Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto
Moodboards
AI art tools (Polo, Runway, Google AI)
Creative coding (p5.js)
Visual jockey (VJ) software
Hybrid physical-digital art
Collaboration
Experimental process
Fear and acceptance of AI
New York art scene
Multidisciplinary art