Draft

Working title

How to prevent a drop of water from evaporating

Aims

The aim of this project is to merge the philosophy of Tao (Taoism) and new media, specifically animation and installation. This work is based on a question, which prompts viewers to think of it before, during, and after experiencing this work; even though the answer will be provided eventually.

Objectives

This work will explore
l An understanding, through research, of Taoist thinking and its relationship to contemporary life
l To create, using animation, some visual explorations of aspects of the philosophy
l To create an environment that provides a platform for the above explorations
l An exploration of the visual language of animation

Rationale

l Why this question?
I got this question from the movie "Samsara" (Nalin 2001), which moved and impressed me indeed. Samsara stands for the eternal cycle of birth, suffering, death, and rebirth. Although this movie is based on Buddhism, I would say this question is much more close to the philosophy of Tao. Also, I would rather interpret the answer "To release it into the sea" in the Taoism way, because the Tao is the natural order of things, as well as the force that flows through every living and sentient object (Wikipedia 2005).

Moreover, people have some knowledge about Taoism, especially the Taiji symbol, better known as yin and yang, but most of them do not know the main core of Tao. Therefore, I would like to begin with this question and then deliver the viewers a clear idea of Tao.

I recall this question especially when I am in a negative mood, such as anxiety, sadness, or anger, because it helps me to feel calm and peaceful. It reminds me to see things from a positive and natural perspective. Therefore, I think the question is interesting as people can figure out many methods to prevent a drop of water from evaporating, but they tend to forget the essence of water, which leads me to the concept of Taoism.

l A holistic, harmonic view instead of black and white thinking
An important concept of Taoism is yin and yang, which, in effect, breaks down the universe into pairs of interacting and interdependent opposites. What is yin and what is yang, depends on their role in relation to other things. Moreover, this concept means that there cannot be one part without the other. Therefore, a balance or harmony (with the universe) has to be preserved. However, a harmony can only be achieved when accepting that we are only part of a greater force, like the drop of water and the sea. Unfortunately, people tend to categorise things into "black" and "white"

l Control and Fatalism
Taoism (Tao = the way) can be considered to be the primary thought of "it is what it is, and it does what it does". Taoism has no God and paradise. While Tao seeks to achieve harmony, there is no benign and personal God promising heaven. In Taoism, afterlife is characterised by a certain degree of uncertainty. Therefore, in Taoist cultures there is a strong believe in luck and fate, which is mirrored by the tendency towards fatalism. My project will focus on this point of view.

l Why animation and installation?
I learnt about Taoism by reading text books when I was in school. However, sometimes I found it dry and difficult to understand as the concept of Tao was written in paleography. It can be explained and expressed in a more interesting and understandable way.

Outcomes

On satisfactory completion of this project, I will be able to demonstrate:
l Ability of storytelling with integration of skills and concept
l Knowledge of Taoism and its influence on culture
l Practical skills in creating animations, using appropriate software
l Research and project management skills

Walking on by... (2003)

Take for example "Walking on by…" (Ushev 2003), a brilliant flash animation, which utilises pithy lines, brisk music, and smooth motions to convey that no matter what situations a person is in, he or she has to face them to keep going. Viewers can easily follow, because a complex message is visualised in a clear and simple minimalistic style.

The Way (2004)

Another example is the 3D animation "The way" by Huang (2004), which simplifies and codifies traditional Chinese brush-stroke methods and aesthetic principles using modern computer imagery techniques. Huang's animation provides viewers with a three-dimensional and vital painting, which renews the impression people have of classic Chinese paintings.

Wu Wei (2005)

Installations can make viewers feel even much more interested, as their interactivity allows viewers to experience more. At the installation "Wu Wei" (Lawson 2005), for example, participants were invited to sit on a bench, and then to experience a concept of Tao: wu wei, which means "without action". If the participants moved too much or stood up (losing patience), the animation turned off automatically.