RuShi (2018)
如是 (2018)
RuShi (2018)
如是 (2018)
John Wong (Hong Kong)
黃志偉 (香港)
Big Data is the new superstition now!
如是 (RuShi) means “it is as it is”. Nothing more or less, but the true colors. It’s a piece of contemplative immersive installation art, where in using the ancient Chinese metaphysic algorithm, “八字” (BaZi). Yet take out all the extra cultural signs & materialistic interpretations, remain only the “Basic”, i.e. the 5 elements (gold/ wood/ water/ fire/ earth). Participants type in their date & time of birth, the fortune-telling algorithm turns out showing only the unique ones’ flow of colors. We can see no prediction of life from this machine, but only time & changes.
“What do you want to know?”, both data scientist or fortune-teller have the ability to turn the world of uncertainty into quantified numerical existence, then giving us an answer with future prediction. Big data seems inevitably becoming our new religion. If so, what is information? And what are the emotions? Interesting though, we want to be in control, but from BaZi to predictive analytics, we allow ourselves to believe in something that we don’t understand how it works. And so, you would say it is knowledge or superstition? “What do you want to be?”, intelligent algorithm or you can answer this question better? I am part of the data therefore I am? Where exactly humanity will go?
“如是” (RuShi) (2018), is the first work of 迷/信 (Immersion/ Decentralization) series. “迷信” in Chinese means superstition. Playing on the double meaning, “迷” means “lost” and “信” means “belief & trust”. So, extending the meaning to immersive-ness, and new trust, from the idea of decentralization. 迷/信 series questions the new cultures and human behavior of mixed realities & new identities in the computer age.
大數據是新的迷信!
如是，意為如此，這樣。沒增或損，事物的本來面目。《如是》為沉浸式的裝置藝術作品。當中運用了中國古老的術數運算程式，「八字」。抽走了所有文化符號和物質化的詮譯，只剩下八字的基本，亦即五行（金、水、木、火、土）。參與者只要輸入他的出生年月日時，這本來用作算命的運算程式，只展現流動的五行顔色。參與者不會從這機器看到他命運的推斷，他只能看到時間和變化。
「你想知道什麼？」，數據科學家或命理師有能力將無常的事物變成可量化的數字，接著給你一個預測。大數據似乎不能避免成為新的宗教。如是，什麼是資訊？什麼是情感？有趣的是，我們本來是想掌控一切的，但從八字到大數據分析，我們都一直允許自己去相信一些我們不求甚解的事情。你認為這是知識還是迷信？「你想成為什麼?」，智慧的運算程式還是你更懂得回答這問題？我是數據的部份故我在？究竟人性將會往哪裏去？
《如是》（2018）是迷/信（Immersion/ Decentralisation）系列的第一個作品。「迷信」於中文意為盲目地相信的行為。把字拆開，「迷」也主迷失或沉迷；「信」則為相信和信任。迷/信系列希望去探討在電腦時代裏，多重現實和多重身份的文化和行為。
鳴謝 Credits:
Maurice Lee / Ellen Pau / Joel Kwong / Kwun Yeung / Ronald Lo / Kenneth Yip / Alexson Chu / Henry Lam / Angus Chu / Dino Fung / Fo Liu / Andrew Leung
Equipment Sponsor 器材贊助
John Wong (Hong Kong)
黃志偉 (香港)
Artist, co-founder, CEO & Executive Creative Director of a brand experience agency, dontbelieveinstyle (DBIS), since 2005.
His debut feature, “The Tourist”, was screened in the 27th Hong Kong International Film Festival in 2002. From 1998 to 1999, he was invited by Australia's ARX5 (Artists' Regional Exchange) cultural exchange program for art exchange in Australia and Singapore, as well as creating installation art “How Far I Can Go”, “TSITRA” and “Jiao Liu Liu”. “Drowning” visual arts was exhibited at Fairy Tales Festival (1999) in Koeln, Germany and "Turin International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival" at Turin, Italy. “On Our Own” Visual Art, presented at "Festival Du Court Métrage De Clermont-Ferrand", "Worms Festival II", Singapore (2000). “Siren” multimedia installation art, exhibited at the Osage Gallery in 2007.
Wong has over 20 years of experience in multimedia & cross-disciplined creative projects include art, entertainment & commercial. Since 1998, Wong has been actively participated in over 200 multimedia theatrical projects. Selected theatrical multimedia design projects include, Edward Lam Dance Theatre’s “Why We Chat, "What is Sex?", "What is Success?", "What is Fantasy?", "What is Man?", & "Awakening”; Stan Lai’s “Happiness Lessons”, “Just Play it”; Olivia Yan’s “Speed-the-Plow”, “You Yuan”, “Moon 7/12”; Dadawa's "Hear the World" Concert; Yang Li Ping's "Peacock" etc. Since 2000, Wong has participated in over 100 multimedia design for pop concert. Selected multimedia design projects for pop concert include, Aaron Kwok, Andy Lau, Jacky Cheung, Sandy Lam, Eason Chan, Leon Lai, Faye Wong, Sammi Cheng, Kelly Chen, Leo Ku, Coco Lee, Joey Yung & Twins etc. Wong’s creative consultancy & curatorial project also involves in some large-scale events. Selected large scale events include, 2010 Shanghai Expo’s Hong Kong Smartcard Pavilion & Macao Tak Sing On pavilion for concept & multimedia design; One Piece Summer Carnival 2016 & One Piece Run Hong Kong 2016; Macao Light Fest 2016, & HELLO! MOON exhibition in Beijing Water Cube 2018 etc.
跨界藝術家，自2005年起為dontbelieveinstyle的創辦人，藝術總監及行政總裁。
首部執導的長片《旅客》於第二十七屆香港國際電影節放映。1998至1999，被澳大利亞的ARX5 (Artists’ Regional Exchange) 文化交流計劃，邀到澳洲和新加坡作藝術交流， 並創作裝置藝術作品《How Far I Can Go》，《TSITRA》和《Jiao Liu Liu》。《Drowning》視覺藝術作品，於 Koeln, Germany “Fairy Tales” Festival (1999)，及Turin, Italy “Turin International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival”（1999）展出。《On Our Own》視覺藝術作品，於France “Festival Du Court Métrage De Clermont-Ferrand”， 新加坡 “Worms Festival II” 展出 (2000)。《Siren》装置藝術作品，於Osage Gallery展出 (2007)。
自1998年起，為榮念曾、林奕華、詹瑞文、甄詠蓓、朱哲琴、楊麗萍、賴聲川等等藝術家創作超過二百個舞台多媒體作品。作品包括非常林奕華《聊齋》、《紅樓夢》、《三國》、《西遊記》、《水滸傳》、《梁祝的繼承者們》、《恨嫁家族》及《賈寶玉》；賴聲川《快樂不用學》、《陪我看電視》、《彈琴說愛》；朱哲琴《「世界聽．見．朱哲琴」演唱會2010》；楊麗萍舞劇《孔雀》等等。dontbelieveinstyle是香港領導的視覺創意設計公司。黃志偉曾為過百個流行音樂會當多媒體視覺總監。主要作品包括：《郭富城舞林密碼演唱會2016-2018》、《郭富城「舞臨盛宴」世界巡迴演唱會2011-2013》、《古巨基我們世界巡迴演唱會2015-2018》、《周筆暢Not Typical巡迴演唱會2017》、《劉美君Karma Chameleon千色》等。大型的跨界創意和策展項目包括：2010年上海世界博覽會香港SmartCard館及澳門德成按館，《海賊王．夏日激航狂歡世界2016》，《One Piece Run Hong Kong 2016》，《澳門光影節2016》，北京水立方《月光如水》文化藝術展2018等。
