LI Yi-Fan is an artist who engages in DIY production, developing his own software tools for the creation of video works. Describing the production process of his works as “to stage a death match between artist and software,” LI utilizes game engines that allow for the real-time, improvised creation of high-resolution 3D animations commonly used in the digital video industry.

The two works featured in this exhibition take the form of a lecture explaining contemporary CG video production techniques while exploring the strange similarities and differences in the time and space between CG imagery and reality, as well as the desires of users stirred by increasingly complex technological tools. In this context, avatars with unique black humor and eccentric characteristics, capable of moving without physical constraints, appear as narrators, prompting a reevaluation of the contemporary relationship between humans, technology, and imagery. The artist grapples with social and ethical issues arising from software tools designed for image production, exploring how images have transformed communication and how emojis can convey emotional content that transcends one’s own sensory experiences.

Devices used to immerse oneself in virtual spaces created by computers not only provide a means to enter and navigate virtual digital environments but are also employed to devise metaphysical practices of image production utilizing digital technology.

Sound Design: HUNG Tzu-Ni
Japanese Subtitles Translation: IWAKIRI Mio
Supported by: Tokyo Photographic Art Museum / Yebisu International Festival for Art & Alternative Visions

TOTAL TIME: 16:07