Round Sky,
Square Earth
天圆地方︎Nov, 2022
Inspired by the ancient Chinese cosmology model of the sky and earth, we hope to translate the model through sound and visual language in order to create a new version— a passage, which can link the past and now. Playing a role as a key, the multi-sensory experience will open the threshold to a cosmic archaeological experience of the universe for the audiences.
The performance uses light as a transformative material, combining the astronomical chart visuals and laser projections to transform the indoor space into a planetary mapping experience. At the same time, the spatial audio uses the waveform data of the different planets, decorating with traditional Chinese instruments such asChinese Zither, Flute, Xun, Chinese drums etc. It is a multimedia interpretation of ancient Chinese astronomy and philosophical views.
The geometric model of ‘Round Sky Square Earth’ explains how ancient Chinese understand cosmo ('YuZhou' in Chinese), implying the ancients’ perception of time and space. The four spatial directions present as ‘Yu’ and the past and the present as ‘Zhou’.It also reflects the philosophical view of Yin and Yang: The sky and the circle symbolize movement while the earth and the square symbolize stillness. The combination of these two is a dynamic balance.
Importantly, it tells the essence of "the unity of heaven and man": as the process of everything from nothing to something, becoming, is closely related to the energy changes between heaven and earth; therefore, the ancient people believed that we should "unite heaven and man" in order to comply with the ever-changing laws of nature.
Live performance
PASSAGES, IKLECTIK, Nov 8, 2022
天圆地方 是一件受中国古代宇宙观启发的视听作品，通过空间声音和激光影像创造了一条连接历史和现代的通道，带来了一场独特的宇宙考古体验。
这个项目展示了一种古代和现代观测宇宙学的交织。公元前4世纪起，浑天仪在中国被用于测量和解释天体，构建对外部世界的感知；而现代科技如天文数据测量和声波化也在不断迭代，探索着人类与宇宙的关系。
在这个结合空间声音和激光投影视觉的体验中，观众被带入一个太空中的巨型浑天仪的中心。激光和影像是对宇宙时空的重新测量，并与空间中变化方位的实验音乐相辅相成。它将观众带入一个缓慢的天文声波之旅，从太阳开始，伴随着巨大的浑天仪球体的旋转和古代乐器的实验性伴奏，穿越九大行星。
视听元素结合天文图像和行星地形图，用光作为通道、将空间转变成一场宇宙中的穿梭。同时，空间声音利用不同星球的波形数据，并结合中国传统乐器如古筝、笛子、荀、中国鼓等进行演奏。以全新的媒体形式呈现中国古代天文学和哲学观点，重新演绎这一古老模型，探索了宇宙与人的纽带。
︎
Produced by: Ke Peng & Yiru Yan
Live at IKLECTIK
