Be Water
This is an AR exhibition curated under the topic of “be water”. All of the content was created in AR. Audience could use their phone to download the app and view the art pieces.
My Role: Principle Designer | Curator | Project Manager | Art Prototyper
Development Platform: Unity
2020
My Role: Principle Designer | Curator | Project Manager | Art Prototyper
Development Platform: Unity
2020
Project Background
Westbrook International AR Art Festival 2020 is a collaboration between EZXR Advanced Technology and Arts Center in Westbrook. In year 2020, people were facing new impacts brought by COVID-19. People were trapped at home, spending more with electronic devices instead of nature. And people began to review history and learn from the past. We planned this exhibition under the theme “BE WATER” to discuss human’s relationship with technology, nature and history.
Water is formless and shapeless. Put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. Put water into the bottle, it becomes the bottle. Put it into a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Water can flow or it can cras. When we look at water, what can we learn?
Westbrook International AR Art Festival 2020 is a collaboration between EZXR Advanced Technology and Arts Center in Westbrook. In year 2020, people were facing new impacts brought by COVID-19. People were trapped at home, spending more with electronic devices instead of nature. And people began to review history and learn from the past. We planned this exhibition under the theme “BE WATER” to discuss human’s relationship with technology, nature and history.
Water is formless and shapeless. Put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. Put water into the bottle, it becomes the bottle. Put it into a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Water can flow or it can cras. When we look at water, what can we learn?
AR Experience Description
After purchasing tickets online, visitors can download the app and visit Westbrook Wetland to watch the AR exhibition. The home page of the app is a map with different POIs to give users instructions. The experience starts with a hand AR interaction of grabbing water graphics, which indicates the audience has the key in their hand and ready to start the journey.
After the hand interaction, the whole touchpoint map will be unlocked and audience can go to different locations to try the AR experiences. When visitors arrive at location with AR content, they can use their phone to view it.
After purchasing tickets online, visitors can download the app and visit Westbrook Wetland to watch the AR exhibition. The home page of the app is a map with different POIs to give users instructions. The experience starts with a hand AR interaction of grabbing water graphics, which indicates the audience has the key in their hand and ready to start the journey.
After the hand interaction, the whole touchpoint map will be unlocked and audience can go to different locations to try the AR experiences. When visitors arrive at location with AR content, they can use their phone to view it.
Art Section
Touchpoint 1: Not a Fish 子非鱼
The inspiration comes from ancient Chinese Daoist philosopher Zhuangzi’s debate on the joy of fish. If you are not a fish, you won’t understand the joy of fish. When people are able to talk with fishes face to face, can they feel the joy?
The inspiration comes from ancient Chinese Daoist philosopher Zhuangzi’s debate on the joy of fish. If you are not a fish, you won’t understand the joy of fish. When people are able to talk with fishes face to face, can they feel the joy?
Touchpoint 2: Plankton 浮游生物
This project indicates the massive invisible information around people. Plankton is a metaphor for information. When people walk in this path, they are immersed in the ocean of information. If they touch the creatures, creatures would send an electric shock(phone vibration) as their information signals.
This project indicates the massive invisible information around people. Plankton is a metaphor for information. When people walk in this path, they are immersed in the ocean of information. If they touch the creatures, creatures would send an electric shock(phone vibration) as their information signals.
Touchpoint 3: Bufferfly 蝶问
Zhuangzi once dreamed that he was a butterfly, flitting and fluttering around, happy, and doing as he pleased. As a butterfly, he did not know he was Zhuangzi. All of a sudden, he awoke and found he was Zhuangzi, a solid and unmistakably human. But then he did not know whether he was Zhuangzi dreaming he was a butterfly or a butterfly dreaming he was Zhuangzi.
This touchpoint got inspiration from this story and created a bufferfly represented a bridge between fact and illustion. In the past, it was in the form of a butterfly. When it encountered with modern technology, it smashed.
Zhuangzi once dreamed that he was a butterfly, flitting and fluttering around, happy, and doing as he pleased. As a butterfly, he did not know he was Zhuangzi. All of a sudden, he awoke and found he was Zhuangzi, a solid and unmistakably human. But then he did not know whether he was Zhuangzi dreaming he was a butterfly or a butterfly dreaming he was Zhuangzi.
This touchpoint got inspiration from this story and created a bufferfly represented a bridge between fact and illustion. In the past, it was in the form of a butterfly. When it encountered with modern technology, it smashed.
Touchpoint 4: UFO 星空
The direction of watching the UFO-shape architecture is the direction of sunset. The artist made a starry skybox to connect the day and night. When audience stands here at the sunset time, they can see this rare view of starry daytime sky through AR.
The direction of watching the UFO-shape architecture is the direction of sunset. The artist made a starry skybox to connect the day and night. When audience stands here at the sunset time, they can see this rare view of starry daytime sky through AR.
Entertainment Section:
Touchpoint 6: Dad's Monster House 怪物之家
This is a collaboration with game Dad’s Monster House. When people come to this area, they can meet and interact with different characters in the game, feeling like they are physically in the game world.
Interaction: walk to different spots to see different characters
This is a collaboration with game Dad’s Monster House. When people come to this area, they can meet and interact with different characters in the game, feeling like they are physically in the game world.
Interaction: walk to different spots to see different characters
Touchpoint 7: Fog Hill of Five Elements 雾山五行
This is a collaboration with anime Fog hill of Five Elements. Audience can come and take photos at this IP wall.
This is a collaboration with anime Fog hill of Five Elements. Audience can come and take photos at this IP wall.
Touchpoint 8: AiToy Ballroom
This is a collaboration with fashion toy brand Yoyo. Blind box toy is a popular trend in China. There we put people’s favorite character of Yoyo on the grass, so people dance with the toys like a party.
This is a collaboration with fashion toy brand Yoyo. Blind box toy is a popular trend in China. There we put people’s favorite character of Yoyo on the grass, so people dance with the toys like a party.
Touchpoint 9: Radio Forest 电波森林
This is a collaboration with actor Liu Lingfei. At this touchpoint, we took advantage of the special gate and brige environment and exhibited different outfits of him at his concerts.
This is a collaboration with actor Liu Lingfei. At this touchpoint, we took advantage of the special gate and brige environment and exhibited different outfits of him at his concerts.
Touchpoint 10: Lift Your Wish 放飞心灯
Asking for blessing is a popular tradition in China. At this place, people can fly up the AR lantern with their wishes.
Asking for blessing is a popular tradition in China. At this place, people can fly up the AR lantern with their wishes.
Project Significance
This is the first multi-spot spatial AR exhibition in China. Spatial AR technology saves construction expenses for exhibition and provide more space for art creation. Audience not only but interact with the art pieces, and they can even be part of the art piece. Besides, with spatial AR technology, this exhibtion doesn’t need assistants or volunteers to be on site, which gives more freedom to the audience.
This project was ranked No.1 on Damai exhibition best-seller list.
This is the first multi-spot spatial AR exhibition in China. Spatial AR technology saves construction expenses for exhibition and provide more space for art creation. Audience not only but interact with the art pieces, and they can even be part of the art piece. Besides, with spatial AR technology, this exhibtion doesn’t need assistants or volunteers to be on site, which gives more freedom to the audience.
This project was ranked No.1 on Damai exhibition best-seller list.
