PORTFOLIO
by Yining Xu
sha e Φ
The combination of shade and shape
Embodied performance focuses on the interaction between the body, perception, and the surrounding environment, offering a new way to study the transmission of intangible cultural heritage. In physical theater, the audience experiences the concept "As AI evolves, the human body's functions decline" through performance and light. By using AI technology, the experience becomes more sensory and interactive. Embodied theory integrates the body with the environment, highlighting the connection between body movements, emotions, and the interaction with space during the performance. The concept of the "body without organs" introduces a philosophical perspective of a fluid, changeable, and non-fixed body, free from the limitations of organs. This body encompasses perception, emotion, thought, and is dynamic, open, and multi-dimensional, capable of continuous interaction with the external world. By discussing the topic "As AI technology develops, the functionality of human body organs deteriorates," it urges humanity to balance the advancement of AI with the maintenance of its own physical functions.
When AI gradually encroaches on the human body, what can human existence leave behind? project 1 Multimedia Physical Theatre
CONCEPT ANALYSIS
Heidegger's concept of "Ontology" refers to the unique way in which humans exist, emphasizing the individual's experience of existence in the world and awareness of existence itself, particularly the consciousness of death, time, and finitude, which prompts people to reflect on the meaning of their own existence in the world.
The concept of the Body without Organs was introduced by French philosophers Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari, emphasizing the body beyond traditional functions and structures, focusing on fluidity and diversity.
Embodied cognition is the theory that cognitive processes are deeply rooted in the body’s interactions with the world, suggesting that mind and body are not separate, but work together to shape our understanding.
Futuristic speculation is the exploration of potential futures through imagination and theory, often questioning how technology, society, and human nature might evolve.
Advances in artificial organs and prosthetics can restore lost functions, allowing thought control over machines. This blurs the boundary between the body and mind, enhancing cognitive abilities and supporting embodied cognition theory.
Through augmented reality prosthetics and wearable technology, human sensory experiences can be extended or replaced, altering perception of the outside world. This is an extension of the body, defining cognition through the body.
Human existence refers to an individual's experience of being in the world, aware of their finitude and mortality, and reflecting on the meaning of life through these realizations.
The rapid development of AI has not only enhanced and expanded physiological and cognitive functions but also led to the degradation of organ functions. As technology permeates and deepens its dependence on daily life, humanity may face a situation where natural organs deteriorate in a high-tech environment in the future, leading to profound impacts on the body, cognition, and social interactions.
The extreme development of AI and the future digitalized under the impact of AI technology, a chaotic material space filled with floating objects, where the collision between the real world and the digitalized illusion creates an explosive, unstable space.
The performance aims to raise awareness about the phenomenon of "the functional degradation of human body organs due to the current development of artificial intelligence technology," urging humanity to maintain the functionality of their own bodily organs while advancing AI technology.
CONTENT ELUCIDATION
Stage I Stage II
The ear is the first sense for human beings to perceive the stimulation of the physical environment. In the development of science and technology, in order to be able to feel more environmental factors and even human emotions, a large number of technological means have been invested in the expansion of ear functionality.
The ear is not only responsible for hearing but also plays a crucial role in balance perception. The vestibular system in the inner ear detects head position and movement, helping to maintain balance. Without healthy ears, people may experience dizziness and loss of balance, which can disrupt daily life and physical activities.
The ear can recognize subtle sound details, like the timbre of different instruments or changes in a speaker's pitch, allowing us to understand speech, music, and the surrounding environment.
The human ear is sensitive to sounds between 20 Hz and 20,000 Hz, especially mid- to high-frequencies. AI technology can enhance sound sensitivity by filtering noise, amplifying certain frequencies, and adjusting sound levels to individual preferences, improving hearing in complex environments.
VR and AR, AI can simulate and enhance 3D spatial sound effects, providing users with a more immersive experience.
The ear in virtual environments no longer just receives sound, but can also generate complex auditory effects like dynamic audio and spatial audio through AI algorithms.
AI technology can analyze environmental noise and adjust audio input in real-time. For example, smart headphones enhance conversation sounds and reduce background noise, helping the ear receive clear information in noisy environments.
Use visuals to convey the auditory experience of the ear. Through the layering of textures, the ear’s shape, sound wave transmission, and interaction with data are all simulated, highlighting the ear’s role in processing sensory information.
Through visual representation of sound-image interaction, low-frequency sound waves are amplified by scientific equipment, enhancing the readability of information for people, while making the ear more sensitive. At the same time, the amplified audio also impacts the ear itself, causing the underlying texture to develop noise, laying a metaphor for future developments.
People are relying more on technology to receive and process information. Through headphones and smart devices that assist in actively perceiving external sounds, the ear’s natural adaptation and sensory abilities maintain a dynamic balance in this development.
The AI technology that replaces other human organs is gradually improving. Starting from the eyes, the original body organs of human beings gradually depend on AI and then degenerate or even disappear.
The integration of AI technology, especially in smart devices and augmented reality, is gradually reducing human dependence on natural sensory abilities. As AI plays an increasingly important role in daily life, many people are becoming overly reliant on technology to complete tasks.
The ear can recognize subtle sound details, like the timbre of different instruments or changes in a speaker's pitch, allowing us to understand speech, music, and the surrounding environment.
The widespread use of AI and smart technologies has automated many tasks and jobs, leading to a reduction in daily physical activity. This change directly impacts muscle exercise and the maintenance of motor function, and over time, muscle strength and coordination may decline, resulting in the degradation of motor function.
As AI technology gradually replaces senses like vision and hearing, human natural functions are taken over by external devices. This shifts the relationship between humans and technology, potentially causing humans to lose control over their own bodies. The organ functions that detach from the human body become independent entities, attached to the body. These new "lifes" form a new "non-organ body." This shift is not only a biological change but also signifies a redefinition of human identity and existence.
Stage III
As AI rapidly evolves, the human body gradually becomes obsolete, serving only as a vessel for the brain, while the functions and abilities once attributed to the body are now fully delegated to machines and algorithms, rendering physical existence secondary to intellectual and digital life.
Simulate the movement of cells, disturbed by electrical currents or magnetic fields. Under the influence of AI technology, the cells' movement becomes irregular and no longer follows a consistent pattern.
Due to the decreased frequency of use of certain organs, those responsible for related functions begin to detach and become meaningless after separating from the body. The newly formed cells experience stagnation in their development, leading to a decline in their quality.
After losing their function, organs gradually shrink into external spheres according to the natural process of evolution. In this fusion, they lose their original functional properties and transform into independent new life forms that attach to the human body.
The widespread application of AI technology has allowed many tasks and functions that were originally performed by the human body to be replaced by technology. This shift causes the human body's physiological abilities to weaken over time, gradually detaching from dependence on the body.
In the future, communication may rely on AI and magnetic fields instead of sound or vision. Information could be transmitted directly through electromagnetic waves, allowing for deeper emotional connections as the brain interprets this silent form of communication.
Magnetic field communication will not be limited by physical space, allowing people to connect directly through brainwaves or magnetic signals. Regardless of the distance, information can be transmitted instantly, and communication no longer requires traditional language or gestures, breaking the barriers of time and space.
The brain produces magnetic fields during activity, which can be detected for studying its function. Technologies like MRI use these fields to examine the brain. In the future, this interaction could allow for direct communication and thought transfer. As technology replaces many tasks once performed by the human body, especially sensory and cognitive functions, humans rely less on their organs. The body becomes a "shell" that only serves to hold and transmit thoughts and consciousness.
As AI takes over sensory and cognitive functions, the brain processes more information, outsourcing tasks like decision-making and memory to technology. The visual representation of the brain's overwhelming load can be shown through imagery.
As external technology takes over, human physiological functions degrade to the bare minimum needed to sustain life, with the body gradually becoming a "shell" to house the brain. As these functions are "outsourced," the brain continues to maintain excessive dependence on these technologies.
The human body gradually deteriorates, leaving only a shell to house the brain, with direct information transmission through magnetic fields. This new form of communication not only further degrades human physiological functions but also alters the way people interact with one another.
DEVELOPMENT
Use TD node programming to connect different components and effects, link audio for data correlation, and adjust parameters to create audio-visual interactions. Utilize TD with Kinect for motion capture-based special effects creation.
Use programming to enrich visual effects variations, capturing potential changes from the model.
Import audio into AE for further processing, combining different effects to emphasize the visual imagery.
The sketch, combined with modeling, aims to restore the spatial layout in detail. On this basis, the storyboard and narrative shots are carefully designed, considering visual storytelling and spatial dynamics. Additionally, the set locations and effects are strategically planned to enhance the overall aesthetic and functionality of the space, while the performance zones and interactive projection zones are thoughtfully divided to create a seamless integration of performance and audience engage
PROCESS
Selection and Arrangement of Rehearsal Space
The preliminary sketch for the projection plan of the formal performance incorporates the projection range, taking into account audience interaction and movement flow to design the placement and angles. It divides the space into different functional zones while ensuring that the audience can simultaneously view various performance formats from the same perspective.
Props Production
Determining and Modifying the Projection Plan
Practice of Interaction and Projection Connection
After the first official performance, we sought feedback from the audience and made targeted improvements. In the second performance, we adjusted the pace and visual effects, making the overall experience smoother and more captivating. Finally, we edited the footage into a film that fully conveyed the concept of our work.
In the first stage, organs are enhanced by external devices to strengthen the natural abilities of the body. A device is placed over the ear to enhance its dynamic capture capabilities.
In the second stage, masks are used to show that some organs have lost their original form, such as the eyes, which have detached and become independent, symbolizing the decline of organ function.
In the third stage, due to the degradation of organs and over-reliance on AI, human social interactions are primarily controlled by magnetic fields, managed by the brain. The presence of the brain is magnified.
The still image details the performance environment, using the mesh fabric to enhance the spatial depth. The transparent material allows the projection to penetrate, creating multiple layers of atmosphere. The interplay between the fabric, light, and the figure’s movement evokes a sense of transformation, where the boundaries between reality and illusion blur, inviting the audience to experience a surreal and immersive world.
Project link: http://sdi.caa.edu.cn/youngtoyoung/uploads/users/2023/3210601122/site/
Death of a Salesman
Arthur Miller
"Death of a Salesman" tells the story of Willy Loman, an aging salesman who has spent his life chasing the American Dream, believing that hard work would bring him success and respect. However, as he grows older and the pressures of reality weigh him down, his mental state begins to unravel. His wife, Linda, stands by him throughout, despite watching him spiral into failure. Their sons, Biff and Happy, also struggle with their own challenges as they try to find their place in the world. In the end, Willy chooses to take his own life, hoping that the insurance money will provide for his family. This tragic decision reveals the collapse of the American Dream and the heartbreaking journey of Willy's life.
The ordinary people, lacking economic foundation and social status, are forced to passively endure the impacts of external circumstances during times of social change, even if they wish to change their situation. The phenomenon of unfinished buildings in China is a reflection of the conflict between the individual and the era. Economic slowdown has led to the bursting of the real estate bubble, bankrupt developers, and halted construction, leaving many families who hoped to profit from buying homes to live in these unfinished buildings in a desperate struggle.
These families maintain an outward appearance of dignity, but internally, they are decaying. In the gloomy unfinished buildings, they build fragile, crystal-like rooms. The performance space is elevated with supports, emphasizing the illusionary, fragile nature of the space. The entire scene is enveloped in a gauze net, swaying in the wind, symbolizing the precarious fate of the small people. The furniture design uses semi-transparent materials that blend into the gauze environment, highlighting the structure of the props. Furniture related to the characters' emotions is represented with richly layered fabrics. Chairs are bound with ropes, and as the story progresses, the pressure eases, causing the shape to gradually lose control, reflecting the inner turmoil of the characters and the shifting dynamics of the space.
the contrast between the individual and society
Story Theme
This story is a reflection on the American Dream, showing the individual’s helplessness in the face of societal change. Willy Loman, once hopeful of achieving success, gradually falls into denial and self-destruction as the American Dream falls apart. The play explores the conflict between ideals and reality, as Willy realizes his dream was an illusion. It highlights the overwhelming power of societal pressures and how they affect personal control and relationships.
Willy— a small person in the era The neighbor, boss, and others— microcosm of society
This leads me to extend the social issue that the individual’s insignificance is powerless against the tide of time. At the same time, society is composed of countless small individuals, and their collective power, though seemingly insignificant, becomes an unstoppable force that impacts the individual in unpredictable ways. As ordinary members of society, people often do not realize that their actions can have such far-reaching consequences for others. Just like Willy’s interactions with his neighbor and boss, their words and actions, though not malicious, reflect the microcosm of society, ultimately making Willy realize that everything has changed. For Willy, they are the clearest evidence of the changing times.
building structure
The entire space is unsteady, swaying within the environment. It’s detached, lacking a solid foundation, and will lose its shape with the slightest breeze. This room, which should be solid in normal perception, uses fabric to emphasize its inability to support itself.
The membrane around the house isn’t just decoration; it interacts with the environment and natural elements. The wind causes it to ripple, symbolizing the changing relationship between the building and its surroundings, much like the unpredictable shifts in society.
The transparent membrane suggests that the boundary between the virtual and the real is becoming blurred in modern society. By wrapping the house, it makes the idea of "home" abstract and uncertain, as if life and reality are separated by an invisible barrier. Willy clings to this unreal past through the membrane in a time when the American Dream has collapsed.
The transparent plastic membrane wraps the building tightly. While it looks like a protective layer, it's fragile and easily broken. The membrane makes the house feel oppressed, unable to breathe, symbolizing the sense of oppression in people's lives.
Heidi Bucher, Hautraum (Ahnenhaus), Paris, 2013
Flesh Love All, Kawaguchi Family © Photographer Hall
Microcosm of society.
My Room, davidzalben
Willy Loman’s tragic pursuit of the "American Dream" reveals the struggles of ordinary individuals under economic and social pressures.
In relation to social realities, China’s phenomenon of unfinished buildings reflects the impact of economic slowdown and the bursting of the real estate bubble on ordinary families. Many families, in pursuit of a better life, invested in homes, only to find themselves forced to live in decaying environments, symbolizing
The furniture structure is represented solely by wire, emphasizing the linear form. It abstracts a two-dimen sional existence from the three-dimensional world, offering a new way to express spatial relationships. The furniture, without any actual filling, becomes a hollow structure, symbolizing an unrealistic existence.
Some pieces of furniture emphasize only the structural lines, while others, which I believe are more fre quently interacted with by the actors, are created using a different approach. These pieces, through daily interaction, carry the actors’ various emotions, with negative feelings gradually accumulating. However, basic shapes are constrained by certain rules to maintain an appearance of normalcy. As the situation evolves, these constraints lose their power, and the shape of the chair begins to distort more and more.
INTERACTION PROCESS
The entire space is designed to be transparent and colorless, symbolizing Willy's financial struggles at the time. Using projections, vertical color projections are applied to ensure that all audience angles experience the same visual presentation. Furniture is created in contrast to the overall environment. High saturation colors and food are used to create the illusion of a life of abundance.
P1: Capture the audience's facial information and apply deformation using TD. In dynamic interaction, blur parts of facial features, reflecting how society is composed of individuals.
P2: Retain the audience's movement traces through feedback, allowing them to participate in the performance's interaction.
Willy is still immersed in the glory of the past, and the overall space conveys a sense of fragility. The colorless, gloomy atmosphere contrasts with the scattered colors on the furniture, setting the stage to draw the audience's attention. As Willy returns home, the projections gradually fade, and the entire space falls into a colorless state.
P3: Based on motion capture, combined with the storyline, use silhouette deformation and distortion to reflect the story's theme, echoing Willy's increasingly fragmented mental state.
P4: Capture motion imagery and use depth as an interactive parameter to preserve the silhouette portion, enhancing the audience's immersive participation in the interaction.
The mesh curtain hangs down, casting projections that involve facial recognition and capture of the audience. Using base technology, personal facial features are blurred. Meanwhile, the room, as a movable whole, causes the distances between different spaces to change, symbolizing the emerging rift between family members. The physical separation reflects the emotional misunderstanding and alienation between them.
In this scene's interaction, fog is used to enhance the ethereal atmosphere. The appearance of fog symbolizes the emotional cloudiness between Willy and his family members, with each person trapped in an unclear state of mind. The fog’s density is also controlled to guide the audience's gaze. The three rooms gradually shift, increasing the distance between them. The walls within each room also begin to move and compress. The instability of the space represents the instability of the family’s bonds.
The audience can be Willy's brother, a neighbor, or a boss. Blurred facial features and silhouettes represent individuals in society, showing that even without clear identities, ordinary people can unknowingly influence Willy's family through social forces, leading to irreversible impacts.
The fog thickens, spreading into the room and blurring the audience's view. As the audience moves, the projections change, shifting from complete silhouettes to fragmented images, symbolizing Willy's worsening dissociative disorder.
physical model
The house space is separated, focusing the audience on the emotional conflict between Willy and his sons. The mesh curtain hangs down, connecting to the ground, and combined with objects in the air, allows the projection to form in mid-air. The ground and the mesh are connected to create a cohesive space, creating an immersive interactive environment. Using motion capture technology, the projection content—symbolizing the torrent of time—interacts with the silhouettes of the characters.
At the end of the story, Willy realizes that the era of the salesman is over, and the rift with his family is beyond repair. The mesh curtain, hanging in mid-air, falls to the ground, symbolizing an end and creating a sense of loneliness. After the fog dissipates, the rough environment of the unfinished building further enhances the feeling of
As Willy leaves the room and makes contact with the ground, it symbolizes his full realization of the shift to a different era. Spotlights are used to simulate car headlights, subtly hinting at the way Willy ultimately chooses to end his life.
emptiness.
Physical models provide a tangible tactile experience and more accurately showcase design details, especially the relationship between materials, proportions, and spatial layout. In team collaboration or client communication, physical models can become the focal point of discussion. They provide a common understanding base for people from different backgrounds and professions, helping them exchange opinions more effectively. The intuitive and manipulable nature of physical models makes communication more efficient.
STORY BOARD
Willy clings to his fantasies, hoping to regain his past success. Biff and Willy’s argument peaks as Biff rejects his father’s expectations and decides to start anew.
Biff rebels against his father and the "American Dream." Willy, caught between memory and reality, experiences a mental breakdown, unable to cope with reality.
Willy feels frustrated about his job and health. Linda reassures him he just needs rest.
Biff and Happy return home. Linda stays hopeful.
Biff doubts the "American Dream" and plans to go west for a fresh start.
plot remains peaceful, and the lighting is soft.
Willy clings to the past, but Howard dismisses him, and he loses his job. Biff decides to go west, rejecting his father’s idea of success, while Happy still seeks his approval.
Biff and Willy argue, revealing the pressure of Willy’s expectations. Biff chooses to break free.
Willy ends his life, believing his death will help his sons start fresh, accepting the "American Dream" in his final moments.
After his death, the family sees his dream failed. Biff moves on, but Happy stays lost. In the end, the family faces regret, showing that Willy’s death didn’t bring relief but revealed the emptiness of the "American Dream."
The
Family issues begin to intensify, and the lighting becomes more intense.
Willy's illusions break down. His illness blurs the line between reality and fantasy, with smoke symbolizing his confusion.
The smoke clears, revealing Willy in despair, deciding to end his life. The lights mimic car headlights, hinting at his suicide.
Ensaio sobre a Cegueira
BLINDNESS José Saramago
Blindness describes a plague of blindness sweeping through an entire city, with the blind being isolated in mental hospitals by the government. As blindness spreads, the world plunges into darkness. The only person who can still see is the doctor's wife, who witnesses how people, first blind in body and then blind in spirit, fall into moral decay. This collective disorder leads to the collapse of societal structure, with primal instincts replacing human compassion. Faced with blind robbers wielding weapons, those affected by the blindness of power and violence choose to sink to the same level of corruption. Under such oppression, the doctor's wife resists, fighting for the last remnants of human dignity.
A group, led by the doctor's wife, escapes the mental hospital, only to find that the streets, devoid of order, have become hellish. In this extreme situation, on filthy, muddy streets littered with debris, the degradation of society is laid bare—survival has returned to its most primal form, where humans live worse than animals. And just as the blindness came suddenly, so too does the return of sight, but it is equally shocking. As everyone sees the filthy city anew, it is only the doctor's wife who, in silence, perceives the overwhelming whiteness around her.
In the face of violent suppression, the original established rules are gradually dismantled by the powerful, who reshape a new order that can be controlled and balanced by their authority. The gauze acts as a fragile support for the living space, while the stacking of furniture represents the tangible manifestation of social rules. In the moment when everything falls apart, the furniture collapses with a thunderous crash, symbolizing the collapse of the social structure itself.
Layers of white gauze are draped across the space, creating a blurred visual effect that simulates the sensation of blindness caused by white blindness. The gauze obscures vision, mimicking the feeling of being surrounded by an overwhelming, indistinct whiteness. This design choice highlights the confusion and disorientation experienced by those with visual impairments. The world of the blind is shrouded in white, with fabric draping over the entire stage. As the sense of order diminishes, the fabric sags lower, reflecting the shrinking space for survival.
The loss of morality leads to a bloody conclusion, with dye gradually spreading upward from the bottom. Props will also be stained with red.
The loss of sight introduces a distortion in perception.
The loss of sight disrupts the blind's perception of the world. The deformed chairs, featuring twists and exaggerated elements, echo the theme of alienation in their design, enhancing visual tension.
Furniture is covered with multiple layers of gauze, blurring visibility. During the performance, actors, unable to see clearly, are compelled to navigate like blind individuals, relying on touch to identify the arrangement and placement of tables and chairs. This effectively emphasizes the impact of white blindness.
Robert Therrien,Gigantic Furniture for Giants
THE FALL , film, 2006
Steve James，Calke Abbey
At the beginning, the furniture stands in a stable arrangement, supporting each other to form a solid whole, symbolizing harmony and order. However, as the plot progresses, this stability begins to be challenged. The shapes of the furniture start to twist and distort. Straight lines curve, and the once orderly arrangement is broken. The relationship between the pieces becomes more dynamic and complex. Chairs and tables intertwine in the space, as if they are searching for a new balance.
By comparing sketches, the stage effect of the furniture arranged at different angles and postures is presented. The use of straight lines divides the space, emphasizing the dynamic sense of deformation. The overall composition conveys a sense of upward movement, as if the entire scene is striving to extend or reach beyond its current boundaries.
The tables and chairs are placed at the front of the stage, serving as props for the performance. Layers of gauze cover them entirely, and as the actors move, the fabric is tugged and pulled, causing the furniture to topple.
Ultimately, the furniture takes on a precarious state, as if it could collapse at any moment. Each element, under the force of gravity, exudes a sense of instability and struggle. Through these distorted forms, a powerful emotional tension is conveyed, illustrating the fragility of the structure and the impending sense of chaos.
Remy&Veenhuizen -Honey l'mhome!
Matias Faldbakken, "Intervention#21"
Damián Ortega: Artwork Survey:1990s-Art21
Vienna Design Week 2012
scene 1
The city was suddenly struck by an outbreak of white blindness, its cause unknown but spreading rapidly. To contain the crisis, the government forcibly isolated the blind in designated camps, hoping to control the situation.
Oversized chairs and tables form a structured building, symbolizing the city's order before the white blindness outbreak. Society's discipline is reflected in the orderly arrangement, with the gauze covering its sins still intact.
The blind are trapped in an abandoned asylum, with only the doctor's wife able to see. She tries to maintain order, but chaos grows as armed blind groups seize control, dominating others and unfairly hoarding food and space. scene 2
Red-stained tables and chairs spread dye onto everything they touch, seeping through gauze and leaving marks. The sagging gauze, supported by a structure on the left, enhances the sense of decay and collapse.
scene 3
The blind bandits hoard food, extort money, and force women into sexual slavery, inflicting horrific abuse. The doctor's wife, overwhelmed by her husband’s betrayal and the relentless suffering, reaches her breaking point. During a violent assault, she kills the bandit leader with scissors, plunging the asylum into total chaos.
The left building distorts as it dismantles, with the top gauze sagging and the sides forming layered folds. The pressure causes tables and chairs to break, while some, covered in gauze, become unconstrained spaces.
scene 4 scene 5
The blind bandits search for the killer, causing conflict over whether to expose them. The man with the eye patch stresses human dignity, inspiring some to resist, but they are defeated. The doctor’s wife rescues the injured, and what she sees strengthens her resolve. She sets the asylum on fire and leads the group to escape.
The ropes, symbolizing restraint, are cut, signifying the collapse of the city’s order. Buildings crumble as the net above falls, heightening the sense of chaos. Scattered ropes drape over the red-stained net below, intensifying the disorder. Projections of confined silhouettes on the wall emphasize oppression and alienation.
The city is in chaos, with wreckage and waste everywhere. Overwhelmed, the doctor’s wife breaks down in tears. A dog licks her tears and follows her home. She cleans for the group and finds food, giving them brief peace. Gradually, everyone’s sight returns in the order they went blind—except the doctor’s wife, who finally succumbs to the white blindness.
A veil-like fabric drapes over the stage, hiding past chaos while faint colors seep through, symbolizing lingering scars of oppression. This visual adds depth and evokes a thought-provoking atmosphere. The soft fabric and bleeding colors connect past and present, reflecting enduring memories and the blind city’s lasting decay, even as sight returns.
The Dumb Waiter
—Harold Pinter
Ben and Gus, two professional hitmen, live in a basement that lacks even the most basic necessities. They have almost no interaction with the outside world except for orders from their superior. Suddenly, a dumb waiter starts delivering food orders with dishes they can’t fulfill, forcing them to send up nonsensical alternatives. In their repetitious conversations, the pressure on both men builds, and as they carry out each new order, the true target of their mission slowly becomes clear…
In their absurd dialogues, Ben and Gus grapple with the meaning of their existence, constructing a fragmented, passive survival mode. Through pauses and repetitions, they are forced to comply with irrational demands from higher-ups, gradually losing their sense of self amid continuous compromise and surrender. Pinter's script creates an environment that reminds me of the current reality of couriers in China, who face relentless exploitation. These workers endure immense pressure and long hours of intense labor, with barely any respite. As e-commerce grows rapidly, couriers’ workloads keep increasing, their work hours are extended, and their wages remain stagnant, often reduced by multiple layers of exploitation. They endure both physical and mental strain. Through this play, we can explore the conditions of lower-class individuals struggling in first-tier cities, far from home, under society's continuous exploitation.
From a spatial design perspective, the cramped and enclosed factory setting evokes a strong sense of oppression, reflecting how the two hitmen are unable to control their fate, constantly awaiting and yielding to commands. In terms of props, countless stacked delivery boxes symbolize life’s burdens, endlessly piling up. The conveyor belt and elevator, continually delivering new orders, represent an unbreakable force of imposed order. The killers can only passively comply to maintain their existence until even that is negated. They’re forced to accept their fate, unable to make their own choices.This setup also reflects the loneliness under oppression, making the characters seem trapped in an indifferent world. The elevator represents the only way out, yet even when Gus briefly leaves, he’s pulled back, reinforcing that all efforts ultimately target himself—highlighting his inescapable fate of exploitation, where all actions lead to futility.
Key Words: Absurdism Realism Existentialism Closure
RESEARCH Harold Pinter
Harold Pinter is skilled at revealing the subtle power dynamics in interpersonal relationships through seemingly mundane conversations. His plays often reflect the unnoticed power struggles that occur in everyday environments such as families and workplaces, uncovering how oppression and manipulation manifest in our daily lives. This revelation prompts the audience to reconsider inequality, oppression, and emotional coldness in life. Pinter was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2004, with the committee praising him for "revealing the depth of everyday conversation and the profound nature of oppression and repression," recognizing his unique creative style and social consciousness.
The Dumb Waiter was completed in 1957, and it has garnered lasting social attention due to its sharp insights into issues of modern society, power, and human nature. Pinter grew up in a working-class family in East London, experiencing the chaos and unease brought about by World War II, which shaped his sensitivity to social class and power structures. In the play, the characters' passive subjugation to higher authorities sparks reflection on social hierarchies, especially in workplaces and power-concentrated institutions. The work encourages people to examine passive subordinate relationships within systems and question the legitimacy of power, depicting how human nature is alienated under systemic control.In the play, Pinter extensively uses pauses and silences, blurring the line between truth and lies in language. This technique highlights the difficulty of interpersonal communication and the underlying hostility, prompting the audience to recognize the complexity of communication in reality and encouraging reflection on the existence of silent oppression. This is known as the "Pinter Pause," which triggers the audience to contemplate power, isolation, and the struggles of humanity, and has inspired many playwrights to emulate his style, using drama as a tool to analyze social issues.
MOOD BOARD
INSPIRATION
Learn the bending and arrangement of pipelines, as well as the combination of horizontal and vertical structures, from this device. This device also provides inspiration for connecting speakers to pipelines.
Using shelving and bold colors highlights the tense atmosphere of the courier station and helps couriers sort packages quickly.
The variety of labels on the courier boxes reflects the tedious and complex nature of the job. The performance highlights the high demands, intensity, and pressure of the work.
The installation uses the descending suspension of the horn to create a sense of closure and spatial oppression, defining the relationship between the upper and lower levels. The exaggerated size of the horn contrasts with the characters' insignificance under the pressure of absolute power, emphasizing their helplessness.
The deformation of the courier boxes in the design.
The towering piles of courier boxes visually represent the daily pressure faced by couriers, as they are overwhelmed by packages, much like the characters trapped in oppression.
The conveyor belt creates a continuous flow of courier boxes, symbolizing the growing pressure on couriers. It also inspires the three-tiered spatial structure on stage.
The Dumb Waiter, Directed by Fave Hatch , 5.2023
The Dumb Waiter, Directed by Sam Dickinson, 9.2013
Alicja Kwade,Haus am Waldsee, Berlin, Germany
Viscosity, Zoro Feigl
Anish Kapoor , Marsyas , Tate Modern
Conveyor belt brings continuous work tasks Simple and cured factory floor
depressing atmosphere
Recording of time
Research rock music of the 1990s
narrative space design
interactive exploration game
This project explores the influence of Teresa Teng's pop music on rock music during the 1980s-1990s. It integrates the exploration into a game space, where different rooms corresponding to her songs allow players to experience the unique atmosphere of each piece, thereby understanding the deeper meanings conveyed by the songs.
The narrative line of the game is combined with exploration. After understanding each song, players receive the corresponding cassette. The cassette acts as a key to achieve collection milestones. After completing all levels, players enter the ritual hall.
Fantasa
Combining the existing space of the school's small theater, create an environmental drama with the intervention of AIGC. From script creation, lighting arrangement, sound design, to costume design and production, create a mystery script about dreams.
The narrative of the game is integrated with exploration. After understanding each song, players obtain the corresponding cassette. Using the cassette as a key, a tape placement animation is created in UE, where the collection process is completed in the ritual hall.
The three protagonists, each with their own identity, narrate their stories, revealing how, under societal pressure, they seek escape through the dream machine. However, due to its side effects, they gradually become addicted, eventually leading to their disappearance.
The rock stage and the audience seating become symbols of the "altar" and "temple" in this ritual of faith, representing the "deity" and creating a specific space for various "cultural performances" in the "ceremony," where the "followers" worship the "idol" and deconstruct their "selves." Rock music transcends its original entertainment and aesthetic value, becoming a unique "medium." The ritual can achieve a sense of temporal extension through shared memories and projections.
Therefore, it can be said that a rock concert embodies a form of "cathartic ritual."
The audience assumes the identity of a detective and deduces the truth of the event from the clues presented in different environments.
Based on the original script's four acts, design the scenes for the press conference, control room, investigation room, hospital room, and grand parade. The case clues will be hidden within the details of the scenes. Additionally, incorporate whimsical toy designs to create a dream machine that aligns with the absurdity of the grand parade.
The model is built in Blender, and then materials and machine animations are added in UE. The machine is constructed using precision processing instruments and dreamlike toys, creating a dream machine.
