ÉMU aka Maria Takeuchi, is a multi-instrumental composer and audiovisual artist based in Brooklyn, originally from a small town in Japan.
ÉMU creates sonic and visual poems, merging organismic soundscapes with generative art and illuminating objects inspired by nature.

Using piezo microphones attached to wood bark wound with guitar strings and porcelain bowls carefully tuned with water measurements, she plays and conducts the sound objects with a delicate yet intentional focus. The subtle sound textures are created solely with touches by hand, stones, leaves, and shells on the handmade instruments, processed with modular synthesizers for the added aesthetic atmosphere.

ÉMU has been involved in larger-scale projection mappings such as Ambient Church and dome projections at Bubbletecture H to pursue the experience of sound and visual art in search of coexisting and resonating with nature and technology.

as·phyx·i·a (2015), a collaborative effort and experimental film created with Frederico Phillips, performed by Shiho Tanaka, was selected as a New Directors Shortlist by Saatchi & Saatchi, showcased at Cannes Lions and MoMA.
It appeared on nearly 200 international mediums, including BBC Newsnight, Canadian Daily Planet, TIME, and Microsoft commercials.

In 2020, ÉMU curated the audiovisual compilation Solace with Testu Collective with international artists for fundraising for IRC during the early Covid-19 exposure. Solace was projected onto the Manhattan bridge at Light Year:76.
She remotely showcased A Trilogy of Waves at Sound Forms 2020 hosted by Contemporary Musiking Hong Kong.

ÉMU frequently collaborates with insomniac hotel since 2021 as MA to explore sound art, installations, and audiovisual performances. The duo has performed at Ars electronica x NKB, online festivals such as Festival Pleamar, and exhibition openings.

Maria created visual programming for Petal Mori, illuminating Yuri Shimojo’s art piece with 108 Petri-dishes with Sakura petals made of torn washi paper placed on the salt mound for her exhibition Memento Mori at Praise Shadows Art Gallery in 2021.