CITY DIGITAL SKIN ART

1.Icy Fire
Lampo Leong, Yanxiu Zhao

Scientists’ statistics and predictions indicate that global warming could lead to catastrophic consequences for humanity. This international environmental crisis necessitates collective action from individuals and countries worldwide. The immersive digital ink generated video art installation, through the distinctive texture of Chinese ink painting and the language of geometric and gestural abstraction, depicts the transformation of a glacier from ice to water. The color palette shifts from cool to warm tones, symbolizing the alarming effects of global warming, yet the re-freezing of the text at the end of the video offers a glimmer of hope, signifying the potential impact of our collective efforts. The innovative fusion of traditional ink painting with the concept of environmental consciousness propels classical ink art into the realm of contemporary art, showcasing the vitality of Chinese ink in the digital era. The work not only embodies the profound wisdom of ancient Chinese culture but also underscores the responsibility of a large country. It demonstrates that traditional art forms can be revitalized and repurposed to address pressing global issues, such as environmental protection.

2. The man without gravity
China Academy of Art

The Man Without Gravity is a set of syndicated images, faculties, and articles, a comprehensive trinity of creations. Gravity, the force generated by the very birth of a celestial body comes from the core of that planet. All human survival, production activities are affected by gravity, so that human beings and gravity will not be able to get rid of the relationship. However, we have never stopped rhapsodising about getting rid of gravity. Using this as an entry point, we have studied the history of human flight, starting from gravity and human beings, and we have found that the essence of how human beings escaped from the bondage of gravity and flew into deep space is the development of the history of human technology. Therefore, we have translated each of the 33 flight histories for important purposes, created individual ‘biographies’ supported by text and characters, cast a unique style and character design with rational scientific reasoning and ravings of calm imagination, and let these characters form a field of objects that leave the Earth. We try to explore an interdisciplinary text, an interdisciplinary existence, which combines the history of human flight and contemporary art. How to resist gravity? This is the ancient question of mankind.

3. Virtual Nature Study

The series of works “Research on Virtual Nature” aims to express the narrative concept of “Void and Silence” through digital art. The scenes are set in spring and summer to explore the various wonderful creatures in nature and use them as a strong carrier to connect people and nature. The works hope to blur the boundaries between humans and nature in a poetic way, and make us who are outside of nature disappear into it and become part of nature. Poetically live in virtual nature, feel the warmth of the sun, feel the sound of the breeze, feel the subtle changes in nature between breaths, and feel a “real sense of unreality”.

4.Time worship
China Academy of Art

A long time ago, before the “Time Teller” appeared, there were no clocks. This was a time when time could not be judged. People’s observation of time came from the movement of celestial bodies, physical reactions and mechanical laws. Until one day, a factory produced the world’s first “clock”, which could accurately calculate every moment of time, which was beyond the limits of nature. The designer of the “clock”, this great invention should be worshipped, and time should be worshipped.
He gave the clock an image. The people in this world have the same appearance, and the clock represents people like their integration. It was sent into the sky by the factory to tell time for people all over the world. It was called the “Time Teller”.
As the giant object took off, people went from being amazed and enthusiastic to the people of the whole city spontaneously following the footsteps of time and unwilling to leave. But in the end, the “Time Teller” was sent to the garbage dump by people themselves and forgotten by the people who loved it.

5. Know Yourself
In the context of the rapid development of science and technology, will artificial intelligence evolve into an existence that surpasses humans in the near future? When machines have the consciousness to recognize and understand the world, what will the human world look like in their eyes? Starting from understanding how machines see the world, we use artificial intelligence software runway to generate digital media language, simulate colorful images under various sensors such as infrared, sonar, and depth cameras, and present human civilization in the eyes of machines, eliminating the subjective perspective of humans and observing human activities through the objective eyes of machines, so that humans can face themselves and see the relationship between themselves and the world.

6. MATRIX
“The Matrix of Consciousness” is a cutting-edge digital imaging experimental work, inspired by the concept of the Matrix in The Matrix. It uses the parametric fractal technology of UE5 (Unreal Engine 5) to explore the intertwined boundaries of consciousness and digital space. Through sophisticated algorithm design, the work concretizes abstract ideology into intricate fractal structures, constructing a digital universe that is both illusory and real. The audience will experience the infinite possibilities of the flow of consciousness and the unique charm of fractal aesthetics in a visual feast of light and shadow. “The Matrix of Consciousness” aims to challenge traditional visual expression, broaden the boundaries of digital art, and lead the audience to think deeply about the future relationship between technology and consciousness.

7. Habitat
Kevin Blackistone
This work presents a metaphor to terrestrial resource limitations through the more limited environment of the terrarium as positioned floating through space. It has frequently been considered that our quest for exponential growth in all things is innately unsustainable. Meanwhile, many consider space colonization a potential solution to these limits. Yet, these extraterrestrial habitats pose even more severe limits on the resource availability that the human species has already demonstrated an inability to work within, even on the much greater planetary scale. Meanwhile, terrariums have long shown their capacity as (mostly) self-regulating within their confined condition. Perhaps these would provide more realistic candidates for space colonization than the human organism. Furthermore, one could do well to consider that the earth is itself merely a more massive and diverse terrarium, flying through space, even with its far greater resources being nonetheless finite.

8. Echo of Bits
Mina Boylu, İdil Öztürk
Nature is in harmony, reflecting the concept of yin and yang where opposing forces are interconnected and interdependent. Just as decisions lead to consequences, lives are intertwined, influencing each other continuously. Human beings are part of a larger system, and our actions ripple through this system, impacting others. The interconnectedness of the world highlights the importance of our choices within the broader system, emphasizing our collective responsibility and the profound effects of our individual actions. This artwork illustrates the crucial role we play in the broader world. Coral reefs serve as a narrative symbol, representing one of nature’s fractals. Coral reefs underscore the significance of decision-making, and by imagining the corals through a particle system, we demonstrate the interactions between individual changes and the transformation of the overall structure. The artwork delves into the alternative possibilities posed by the question: If one single entity changes in this fractal, in our universe, what would happen to the overall picture? This exploration seeks to emphasize the interconnectedness of all elements in nature and our vital role in maintaining the balance within this complex system. Nature is in harmony, reflecting the concept of yin and yang where opposing forces are interconnected and interdependent. Just as decisions lead to consequences, lives are intertwined, influencing each other continuously. Human beings are part of a larger system, and our actions ripple through this system, impacting others. The interconnectedness of the world highlights the importance of our choices within the broader system, emphasizing our collective responsibility and the profound effects of our individual actions. This artwork illustrates the crucial role we play in the broader world. Coral reefs serve as a narrative symbol, representing one of nature’s fractals. Coral reefs underscore the significance of decision-making, and by imagining the corals through a particle system, we demonstrate the interactions between individual changes and the transformation of the overall structure. The artwork delves into the alternative possibilities posed by the question: If one single entity changes in this fractal, in our universe, what would happen to the overall picture? This exploration seeks to emphasize the interconnectedness of all elements in nature and our vital role in maintaining the balance within this complex system.

9. CRISPR Chronicles
Lee Chaewon Nicole

Gene editing is a revolutionary set of technologies enabling scientists to modify an organism’s DNA. Among these, the widely used CRISPR-Cas9 system stands out for being faster, more cost-effective, and precise compared to other methods.
This project, “CRISPR Chronicles,” delves into the unforeseen modifications and the metaphorical future of gene editing. It raises a fundamental question: Is this advancement truly beneficial, or is it a potential glitch in the history of science?
Gene editing essentially involves extracting data from genes and modifying them. But does this process introduce bugs or faults? Are we modifying for the better, or are we creating more problems within our biological systems? Could these glitches be seen as faults in a system, leading to unforeseen consequences?
From a dystopian and cynical perspective, we examine the impact of medical technology. The abstract perspective is illustrated by the visual metaphor of cells blooming, representing the growth in modification possibilities, yet hinting at the potential for bugs.
“CRISPR Chronicles” offers a fruitful thought for society, encouraging us to reflect on the profound implications of gene editing. It asks whether this technological advancement is a triumph or a troubling glitch in our pursuit of scientific progress.

10. MOUNT WILSON SYMPHONY : A LIVE CONCERT

Our goal is to expand human cognition of microscopic particles and the objects they compose by facilitating human interaction with the universe and making the parallel universes composed of microscopic particles visible. By scanning six different landmarks identified by Wilson and recording natural sounds within a specific time frame, I created a visualized particle music work. As the audience browses different universe scenes in the concert interface and adjusts the customized VJ controller, time and space (sounds and landmarks) will change accordingly. Based on the wave function collapse principle of quantum mechanics, my work enables humans to perceive the superposition of multiple variables when observing objective entities. Just like my creation, humans gain a god-like perspective, able to supervise everything, freely travel through various parallel dimensions, and observe and adjust the parameters of different universes at the same time. This triggers further thinking about the relationship between humans and the universe: Why do humans need external controllers to observe parallel universes? Is there a higher-level existence manipulating human perception? Are we microscopic entities manipulated by controllers in higher-level parallel universes?

11. MESH_Unpredictable
Maria Cecilia Buonocunto – Antonio F. Brunetti – Greta Cozza – Alexandra Chiojdeanu – Stefano
In a historical moment characterized by the fluidity brought by digital transformation, MESH Magazine is an editorial project born out of the urgency to investigate economic inequalities in the creative sector, opening up a debate on issues that hardly lend themselves to black-and-white interpretations. MESH Magazine’s commitment is embodied as much in its content as in its editorial choices, which, by suggesting questions rather than answers, help make the magazine a constantly evolving tool for reflection. “Call It a Day,” its first issue, addresses the topic of the gig economy by investigating the pros and cons of phenomena such as self-employment, side-hustling, and the constant search for the difficult balance between passion and work through a selection of self-published articles, articles from authoritative sources, interviews, and photo series. The dialogue between the physical and the virtual on which MESH Magazine is based transcends the limits of print and comes to life in Unpredictable WFH Workshop #1, a speculative experience that, by staging the clichés of the creative’s everyday life in an ironic and time-centered way, aims to make people reflect on conditions that, although now considered an integral part of the profession, deserve to be questioned.

12. Metabolismo Territoriale
Sequerine
Territorial Metabolism is a communicative artifact for urban areas facing overtourism. The project aims to highlight the complexity of non-human elements, offering a non-anthropocentric perspective. Metabolismo Territoriale, a digital platform, combines video-documentary, cookbook, and travel guide formats. Using the recipe metaphor, non-human territorial elements become catalysts to reveal hidden local phenomena. These ingredients, processed in steps and mapped, form a complete dish symbolizing the understanding and metabolization of the territory. The format transforms scientific and ecocritical territorial analysis into an immersive, evocative, and poetic experience, promoting awareness through remote engagement. Applied to Venice, a “souvenir city” and complex ecosystem, the project showcases a unique observatory of the Anthropocene, reflecting nature altered by human actions. In Venice, one can observe natural elements and phenomena that contribute to the human-nature balance, highlighting the hidden order and symbiotic relationship between the two. The project also includes a satellite artifact: a set of 12 accordion postcards depicting the non-visible aspects of the territory. These postcards, showcasing layered elements of the Venetian Lagoon, offer a deep investigation of the landscape through photography.

13. Beyond the Funky
Ayça Tugran

Beyond the Funky suggests a move towards a more holistic and integrated understanding of the world, celebrating the diversity and complexity that lie beyond the familiar, that is somehow uncanny. It navigates through environments symbolizing various degrees of human influence and natural integration. The story begins in sterile, human-dominated spaces, here, animals appear as mere resources, their existence tamed by the demands of capitalism—artificial, static, and disconnected. Through photogrammetry, the depicted spaces are drawn from the artist’s daily life, grounding abstract concepts in tangible reality. These scenes critique capitalist entanglements that reduce life to mere resources, highlighting conditions that both bind and threaten biodiversity. In a kitchen, pet dogs embody the human desire for companionship, their roles strictly defined by domestic settings. The supermarket houses farm chickens, reduced to mere commodities, their lives dictated by the insatiable human appetite for consumption. Within a shopping mall, zoo elephants symbolize exotic entertainment, their majestic presence confined to artificial displays of curiosity. A church shelters farm cows, sanctifying agricultural exploitation. In a cemetery, beloved horses lie buried alongside their owners, freed from the burdens of their lives. The juxtaposition of a well-designed garden with aquarium fishes reflects the human penchant for aesthetic control, transforming vibrant creatures into ornamental elements. Eventually, the animation immerses us in untamed realms: dense forests and the mysterious depths of the ocean. These vibrant ecosystems teem with diverse life forms the resilience and adaptability found in precarious, encounter-rich environments. Beyond the Funky suggests a move towards a more holistic and integrated understanding of the world, celebrating the diversity and complexity that lie beyond the familiar, that is somehow uncanny. It navigates through environments symbolizing various degrees of human influence and natural integration. The story begins in sterile, human-dominated spaces, here, animals appear as mere resources, their existence tamed by the demands of capitalism—artificial, static, and disconnected. Through photogrammetry, the depicted spaces are drawn from the artist’s daily life, grounding abstract concepts in tangible reality. These scenes critique capitalist entanglements that reduce life to mere resources, highlighting conditions that both bind and threaten biodiversity. In a kitchen, pet dogs embody the human desire for companionship, their roles strictly defined by domestic settings. The supermarket houses farm chickens, reduced to mere commodities, their lives dictated by the insatiable human appetite for consumption. Within a shopping mall, zoo elephants symbolize exotic entertainment, their majestic presence confined to artificial displays of curiosity. A church shelters farm cows, sanctifying agricultural exploitation. In a cemetery, beloved horses lie buried alongside their owners, freed from the burdens of their lives. The juxtaposition of a well-designed garden with aquarium fishes reflects the human penchant for aesthetic control, transforming vibrant creatures into ornamental elements. Eventually, the animation immerses us in untamed realms: dense forests and the mysterious depths of the ocean. These vibrant ecosystems teem with diverse life forms the resilience and adaptability found in precarious, encounter-rich environments.

14. The drunken beauty
The work combines digital art with Peking Opera performance art and Mr. Mei Lanfang’s classic aria “The Drunken Concubine”. The body movements and foot steps in Peking Opera performances are digitally processed. At the same time, we hope to use this competition to showcase our national quintessence to the world through contemporary digital art forms and promote our national cultural treasures.

15. Canséi
Ballestrieri Gianmarco, Bellucci Benedetta, Bozzato Giacomo, Pezzini Claudia
This research addresses a common issue in the communication of naturalistic territories. Ecological studies in these environments produce numerous technical-scientific documents, which are often inaccessible to non-experts and only partially disseminated. Utilizing narrativity and immersivity, the project proposes an innovative communication model aimed at making this information more accessible while highlighting ecosystemic relationships. The model combines the formats of an encyclopedia and an audio-guided virtual tour, enabling remote exploration of the territory beyond traditional trails and physical distances. The ideal medium for this project is a website due to its high accessibility and expressive capabilities. Users can explore various habitats guided by a narrative voice, which highlights elements of naturalistic interest and their connections. Some inputs are merely indicative, while others are elaborated with graphic elements and guided explanations. Users can directly jump from one ecosystem to another if they are interconnected. After exploring one habitat, the journey continues to the next, with the narrative voice explaining the relationships between them. The highlighted connections include both micro-level interactions between different species and macro-level interactions between different habitats.

16. Archive
Time is one dimension of visible coordinates”, or perhaps, “time has three dimensions, just like space is three-dimensional”. In 3D modeling software, when you enter the interface, the 3D coordinate system will establish the origin, waiting for you to debug and manipulate its dimensions; at the same time, you can also use the anchor tool in the 2D image processing software to try to calibrate the world. Therefore, “there are infinite worlds and infinite futures”.

17. TWIN CLOUD
Black Void
Clouds are a reflection of ground activities. Ashes from volcanic eruptions form aerosol clouds in the air, industrial emissions dye clouds red, and gases produced in urban heat islands gather in clouds… Particles produced by ground activities enter our bodies with every breath.
“Atmospheric Alchemy” extracts meteorological data from hundreds of cities around the world, including data on carbon substances, greenhouse gases, pollutants, and meteorological conditions such as humidity and temperature, and generates corresponding digital cloud sculptures through algorithms. For example, sulfur dioxide, which reflects the degree of industrialization, and chemical substances such as marine aerosol particles, which reflect the degree of coastal areas, as well as the longitude and latitude of cities… will affect the shape, movement, color, texture, etc. of digital clouds. As the chemical substances in the clouds increase, the digital clouds will gradually move from a soft/sparse state to a chaotic/violent state.

18. Anatomy of Commodification
Zeya Wu, Giulia Calabrese, Alice Cecchinato, Stella Dondero, Lavinia Patt