Ai Xin

There is a complete and rigorous order system in the universe that guides the development and transformation of life and matter. However, in the era of ‘slash-and-burn’ agriculture, people lived in chaos and could not understand how the wind blew or how the water flowed. With the evolution of civilisation, people began to establish logical relationships and use what is known to try to explain what is unknown, gradually glimpsing the true face of the world.

It can be said that using order to control chaos is an eternal theme in human life. In the process of exploring the origin of the world, the Book of Changes, also known as the I Ching or Zhouyi, was born in China during the Bronze Age. It has been compiled and developed by many scholars over generations, covering knowledge in divination, astronomy, calendrics, and other fields, and was considered a compulsory subject for ancient Chinese government officials’ selection exams. From a classical philosophical perspective, it explains the laws of the universe’s operation through the theory of Yin and Yang.

The inventor of binary, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, believed that there was a significant similarity between the logical symbols in the Book of Changes and his binary number system. This book will be based on Leibniz’s perspective, using a graphical visual language to explain the mathematical and classical philosophical principles in the Book of Changes by analysing the binary structure, and elucidating the relationship between the concepts of Yin and Yang and algorithms from a modern perspective.

Yesterday, in the wind is an interactive projection installation. This artwork consists of four fans, a depth camera, and a projection. I collect information about the speed and direction of the wind through wind sensors in the park, and then recreate wind in the exhibition.

In a natural environment, people can be more focused on their own perception, embodying their animalistic nature. In the city, people are more concerned with their social aspects, and analysis often takes precedence. Urban parks, as natural spaces within the city, exist at the intersection of analysis and perception. The information here is simpler and more subtle, without distractions that would divert people’s attention. It is in moments like these that individuals can truly concentrate on self-reflection and self-image.

In this artwork, a depth camera captures the bodies of the live audience in real-time and transforms their body shapes into light points. The same set of data controls both the fans and the visual effects. When the audience feels the wind generated by the fans, their images in the projection will also be swayed by the wind.

FolDer Magazine is a collaborative art and design magazine project, curated by Elliot Zhang and me. In each issue, FolDer Magazine will propose a different theme for the participants to discuss and respond to with art or design work. The theme of the first issue is ‘Visual Poetry / 视觉诗’

I was mainly responsible for the editorial design of the magazine, while Elliot was responsible for the logotype, cover and branding.

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