Yearn to Vanish

'Yearn to Vanish’ is a project originally created as a virtual identity to replace my true image on Zoom meeting, and turns into a figure that reflect a person who’s living in the post-Covid era: the anxiety of the real life, and a wish to disappear from noisy and strife-filled society.

On an old wall, there are several strange paintings hanging, and a tablet that obviously does not match the surrounding environment. From the frames and the tablet, a sight that cannot possess emotion is cast, but the golden vine on the side is struggling to set off the symbol of its survival. In the portrait below, the photos are switched into different styles without rules, as it is not satisfied with its’ identities being fixed. A pair of ghostly hands in opposite colors appear to surround the portrait, seemingly trying to protect it, but also as if they are going to tear it apart in the next moment.

The project is consists of three parts: motion tracking of one’s real image, real-time video that interactive with the motion data, and a transfer of the video to Zoom (or other platforms). The project is achieved by using multiple software including Adobe Character Animator and Photoshop, Stable Diffusion, and more. More technique details will be post in another article.