Utopia In Hand: A Reflection to Our Today’s Tech Era

In our rapidly evolving world, the pace of change can be overwhelming. At times, it feels as if some of us struggle to keep up. Such as, when you step into this gallery, the artworks before you are no longer traditional portraits filled with emotions, landscapes, or narrative paintings, but gates leading you to the digital world. The key to open these gates, however, is the magic device in your pocket.

Smartphones have undeniably become an integral part of our lives. They serve not just as tools for communication, but as windows through which we view the world. It is to say, an extension of our body. So as the QR code, a technology that directs users to specific web addresses, is already transforming various spheres of our lives. In this exhibition, each QR code will lead you to a 3D space I’ve coded using Three.js.

My passion lies in web technology. It’s swift, accessible, and cost-effective, which is an epitome of democratic technology. However, it saddens me to witness this technology supplanting traditional ways of life. Cash and credit cards are becoming obsolete payment methods. Pen-and-paper registrations are being phased out. Yet, even when our advancements in certain areas introduce errors and inconveniences, the pace of substitute never slows down. It’s the reappearance of ‘Great Leap Forward’. The mere replacement of old with new shouldn’t be our sole objective. We are already too disconnected from the tangible world in our pursuit of a digital utopia.

This is why I’ve chosen to recreate the ambiance of a physical gallery in this exhibition: to re-establish our connection to the present physical space. My initial inspiration stemmed from my fascination with polygonal materials like ice and gold. Unlike digital counterparts, these materials elicit tangible sensations — the chill of ice or the rich allure of gold. Moreover, They are in some ways symbolize distinct historical moments, contrasted to our current era. The third scene, however, can only exist digitally. Guided by the light, you’ll find yourself free from the confines of the gallery. When you look back, the walls are invisible, while the ‘touch’ is still there. The wired polygons, which form the foundation of our 3D visions, constitute the huge hand, holding the space. 

This artwork is both a celebration of and a reflection on technology. It embodies a mixture of appreciation and nostalgia for our present times. With the marvels of technology, we’ve never been closer to the utopian world we’ve dreamt of. Yet, as we become singularly focused on reaching this destination, the simple act of pausing to contemplate becomes our most elusive dream.