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This interactive installation is a reminiscence of my four-year stay in China, which fascinated me with its coexistence of contrasting elements in society. From the coexistence of various beliefs and opinions to the perfect integration of old with new, traditional with progressive. This experience allowed me to understand that the Chinese people are masters of innovation.

 

The installation is an altar that connects and blends these values. It is based on the primary belief in China, which believes in the power of Heaven (天 tiān) and Earth (土 tǔ) ruling the world, where Heaven is just and maintains cosmic and moral reciprocity. This means that cosmic forces influence a person's destiny by determining its general direction, but our behavior still determines the outcome. After the arrival of other religions such as Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism, the original concept of faith persists, but it is hidden behind icons to which people pray. In recent years, however, the situation in China has changed significantly, and the Chinese are returning to their spiritual roots in search of meaning in life and coping with the demands and pressures of success in both private and professional life, with the difference that they now define themselves as masters of their own destiny.

 

The altar ritual is no longer purely religious but spiritual. The role of the altar is thus transformed and no longer serves as a means of communication with the "above", but enables a dichotomous moment where a person still firmly believes in the existence of a higher power but is also able to dictate what they want from destiny. The center now becomes the individual and not the higher power. The appearance of the traditional altar is modified in the installation, disrupting its traditional vertical division and symbolically mixing Heaven and Earth - thus changing the dynamics of interaction with the altar and the role of objects. Formerly offerings to icons, they are now for human use and pleasure. A person then determines their destiny by communicating with cosmic forces without an intermediary, interpreting their future from hexagrams (Yi Jing) on their own.

 

Note: The tea set as an original work was borrowed from Barbora Voráčková, 1st year of Master of Fine Arts (MgA.), from the Natural Materials Studio.

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Skills used: woodwork, acrylic painting, Unity, 3D modeling in Maya, Ultraleap hand-tracking, Photoshop

Production length: 3 weeks

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