Organized by Shanghai Ying Art Center, VERYMUSEUM (China), and ALLIANCE EAST, this exhibition aims to present artwork from a number of new emerging media artists and groups in a modern, contemporary way. From stainless steel sculptures to mystical creatures, the exhibition combines technology and art from Hollywood's top studios. Their application of Augmented Reality (AR) technology further enhances the interactive experience between visitors and the artworks to create a powerful visual experience. Through AR, people are able to interact with the art more freely and interpret it in a whole new way.

 

The main theme of this exhibition, "Soul in the Shell," was initially inspired by Cyberpunk films. The emergence of Cyberpunk originated from the uncertainty and pessimism that arose following the development of science. These films point out the most fleeting, yet timeless question - "Who am I? Where am I from? And Where is the end?" Behind the scientific "shell" and pressure in the development of AI technology, we begin to wonder - where (or who) will our soul ultimately belong to? This feeling of uneasiness has made the elements of Cyberpunk more popular in the mass cultural market.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The collection of film and television models exhibited in this exhibition comes from Hollywood-based Elite Creature Collectibles (ECC). These exquisite works were created by ECC founder Steve Wang, Hollywood's first-line digital designer and special effects artist Eddie Yang, and Japanese first-line make-up artist and stylist Ikeda Akihito. Each collectable undergoes a production cycle of more than six months!

 

 

 

 

Other "fantastic creatures" between reality and imagination have the same stunning visual appearance. These works originated from the "Origins" series created by animal sculptor Zhou Shiyi, are creatures that are nonexistent or undiscovered, thus creating a surreal vision of the natural world. As he develops his creatures, he even considers the potential living habits of the creature - "how would the animal live, and what their behaviour would they adopt had they been alive?"

 

 

 

Tian Xiaolei and Lin Wanshan's new media works, Xia Hang's stainless steel sculptures and Zhao Hang's installations skillfully use contemporary forms and industrial media to communicate their perspective of the individual's relationship with today and the future's generation.

 

For example, Lin Wanshan utilized visual graphics as a contemporary art form to interpret and communicate the philosophy of Buddhism to the younger generation; thus making it more visually appealing and digestible for the youth.

 

 

 

Tian Xiaolei is a leading new media artist. One of his early works, called "Relationships," focuses on the relationships of other people with society. Some of these elements include human bodies, skeletons, and animal parts.

 

 

 

 

 

Some quotes featured in the gallery, for example, "I dare you, I'm not afraid" is taken from a variety of Cyberpunk and sci-fi movies, which relate itself back to the theme and main idea behind the whole gallery.

 

  

Because of AR technology’s unique experience and interactivity, it has become increasingly used by artists as another medium of art. You'll also be able to watch these amazing visuals on your phone when you visit the museum. Upon arrival at the gallery, you may download an application which you may use if you're interested in finding out more about the development of these artworks.