This article was originally published on FOREIGN OBJEKT POSTHUMAN LAB by Jiatong Yao. Edited by Amy Jiang.
In an ancient Chinese tale, a man walks tirelessly for days in pursuit of the sun. Ultimately, he dies and his body and spirit merge with the landscape.
3D Rendering Image - SolarScape 2024. Image Courtesy by Jiatong Yao.
I begin my blog with this ancient tale called KuaFu Chasing the Sun. In this tale, the ancient hero Kuafu embarks on an endless journey to chase the sun to protect his people. After days of continuous walking, he dies in the process, and his staff becomes a part of the landscape. This story inspired me to rethink the role of the sun in our culture and history and how these themes carry forward into this digital age. In this blog, I will delve into the human relationship with the sun, its evolving role in the digital age, insights from my metaverse art practice, and the future possibilities for this project.
3D Rendering Image - SolarScape 2024. Image Courtesy by Jiatong Yao.
Human Relation With The Sun
Human attitudes toward the sun are complex, blending admiration and fear, both of which are reflected in daily life. On one hand, we celebrate the sun as a life-giving force; solar energy powers the world, promotes health, and supports agriculture. In many ancient cultures, people created numerous gods as symbols of the power and admiration of the sun. On the other hand, the sun can cause damage to the skin, leading us to protect ourselves with sunscreen and sunwear, and it also contributes to natural disasters like global warming. It’s fascinating how this distant star affects human life.
Sun And Body Relation
As I delve deeper into my research, I want to draw some conclusions about the intricate relationship between the sun and the human body. My goal is to gather the full sensory experience by exploring how each sense responds to the sun.
Visually, the sun is a daily presence that shapes our sense of time, space, color, shadow, and light, all of which affect how we perceive our surroundings. In ancient times, shadows were used to tell time, and the reflection of sunlight allowed us to see the vibrant colors of the world’s beauty.
Through the sense of touch, the skin experiences the sun in a tangible way, feeling its warmth and UV rays. This sensitive interaction creates an intimate relationship between the body and the sun.
Mentally and emotionally, the sun affects our mood and outlook. Sunlight exposure has been shown to improve feelings of happiness. For example, when I see a sunny day, I often feel happy throughout the day, but when I don’t, I tend to feel sad—a phenomenon associated with seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
3D Rendering Image - SolarScape 2024. Image Courtesy by Jiatong Yao.
Sun In the Digital Age
To discuss the sun in the digital age, I notice a social trend where images of the sun, from sunrise to sunset, fill our digital spaces. This trend on social media, with images and videos celebrating the sun’s daily journey, creates a collective shared experience. The sun, in this way, becomes a digital symbol, carrying meaning that bridges our physical and virtual realities and connects people.
This makes me wonder: can the sun’s role as a symbol of eternity and light be replicated in the digital world? Could we create an endless, illuminating presence in digital space? I imagine a metaverse where we explore different segments of the sun, crafting a digitally luminous world where everyone can experience the sun and share the joy of being under it together.
AI-Generated Image - SolarScape 2024. Image Courtesy by Jiatong Yao.
Solarscape: Metaverse Art Practice
Click on the image to enter SolarScape
Solarscape is a multidisciplinary XR experience that, through 3D modeling, immersive video, and metaverse environments, explores the profound relationship between the human body and the sun. The project reimagines the sun’s cultural, historical, and technological significance in the digital age, merging ancient reverence with futuristic visions of human existence within virtual realities.
Future Plan
Can I walk in the virtual world to chase the sun, just like Kuafu?
Are you willing to chase anything through pixels and pixels?
3D Rendering Image - SolarScape 2024. Image Courtesy by Jiatong Yao.
My next goal is to bring this topic into the discussion of the Kuafu story and explore how digital spaces can embody real-life experiences. I’m inspired by Parallel by Harun Farocki, which examines walking toward the boundaries of a game world to reveal how even an endless journey can eventually reach the edge of the digital realm.
With today’s metaverse concepts, digital spaces are no longer isolated 3D worlds; instead, they represent an interconnected universe of technology, websites, 3D environments, and AI, offering countless interpretations. I want to further research whether this spatial world can become a digital, enlightened, and infinite existence—much like the sun.
Jiatong Yao
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