The Breathing Walls

Medium: Interactive Art Work, Experimental Game

Date: Oct 2023 - Jan 2024

Role: Creative Technologist, IoT Architect, Game Developer

Tools: Unity3D, NodeJS, TCP, Emotiv EEG

"The Breathing Walls" is an interactive artwork exploring the connection between human emotions and transformative surroundings. Participants wear an electroencephalogram (EEG) headset, allowing their brainwaves to shape a virtual labyrinth inspired by traditional Chinese Hui-style architecture. The paper delves into the concept and execution of "The Breathing Walls," emphasizing its innovative interactions, unique aesthetics, underlying framework, and novel social aspects. Rooted in traditional Chinese aesthetics and Buddhist philosophy, the artwork seamlessly integrates with brain-computer interface (BCI) technology. Its unified approach to medium and content facilitates exploration of the relationship between one’s inner world and the external one.

Artist Statement

“That’s not what I want. Why is it not working?” This thought crosses our minds more frequently these days. As two creative technologists, we spend over 8 hours a day with screens and electrical units, a world of precise commands and predictable outcomes. Screens hum with the promise of perfect control—press "right," and your avatar goes right. Yet, outside this digital realm, we often become less patient with the real world, where everything is far from binary, and understanding can be elusive. This tension between control and unpredictability fueled the creation of "The Breathing Walls."

This interactive artwork delves into the intricate nature of human emotions, challenging control and predictability. Unlike training users to gamify interactions with predictable programming outcomes, EEG technology captures brainwaves, revealing deeper layers of emotional decision-making, bypassing conscious manipulation. It speaks a truth we can't lie to ourselves about. In "The Breathing Walls," participants' emotions sculpt the architectural landscape of a labyrinth. Stress constricts passages, while relaxation paints calming hues. Our work embraces negative emotions—stress, anxiety—not as roadblocks, but as integral parts of the human experience. This dynamic interplay dismantles the illusion of control, confronting us with the unpredictable nature of our emotions and their influence on our surroundings.

We wander through this vast world, moving from place to place, from the towering walls of traditional Hui architecture in ChangZhou to the steel and concrete walls of Metropolitans. Amidst this ever-changing environment, "The Breathing Walls" reminds us to navigate labyrinths through our hearts. We build a land ruled by the unseen consciousness of our inner world. As the ancient Chinese philosopher Wang Yangming wisely said, "The mind imprisoned by thoughts is a cage; the mind anchored by thoughts is a city." The walls encapsulating us breathe in rhythm with the breaths of our hearts.

Exhibitions

LikeLike Gallery, Pittsburgh - Hyper Architecture (Mar 2024 - April 2024)

:iidrr Gallery, New York (Feb 2024)