Let There Be Light

"Light is the ultimate trickster," said director Chai Kun during a break yesterday. Chai and the Beijing performance troupe Tigoo are in rehearsals for 3D performance art piece Messengers of Light in which Chai manipulates light in new ways in a bid to illuminate the origins of life.

"You can change the way the naked eye perceives anything," he noted about his first foray into 3D mixed media. "But if used correctly, light enlightens."

Using screens measuring eight square meters, a transparent screen downstage and a floor screen, Chai is able to convert the stage into an arena where performers interact with projected video images synced to a soundtrack of experimental noise and electronic sound paintings.　

The five-act piece mixes dancing and acting wrapped around a loose plot following man's pursuit to find the origins and nature of light which, as Chai explains, is used as a metaphor for self-awareness.

"This is about getting people acquainted with an art form, and reacquainted with light as the origin of things," he said.

Less abstract and more interesting are the technologies, as Messengers of Light provides a gentle introduction to the technique of video mapping.

Often used outdoors on larger structures, video mapping takes the well-tread idea of video art and updates it with 3D projection mapping to create the optical illusion of movement across real objects.

Using software like Madmapper and Moul8, artists can tailor video to interact with 3D contours, taking advantage of irregular surfaces in order to enhance the projected video. Put simply, it's 3D without the glasses.　

"There's a lot of trial and error going on," said Chai of rehearsals, which see him juggling five projectionists. "It's a form of technology that's not that old, and it's even newer to China. It's a learning experience for the audience, and for us."

However, as Chai explains, the technological aspect makes it appealing to non-art connoisseurs more likely to check out their Weibo microblog than watercolors.

"It's not about just playing video to music, it's adding sensory value," said artist Tang Yihu, one of China's earliest VJs. "It's like reverse-engineering a movie."

"We're not dealing with static images anymore, and that's huge," explained Li Hong from Sheng Shi Guang Ying, which specializes in large-scale outdoor lighting and video mapping. "This is gateway technology. We're using textured surfaces now, but we're just preparing the market and tastes for the next step."

Like any artistic work featuring new technology, one can't help but question how much of the project is substance and how much is slick video for those reared on the Internet.　　

"It just depends on how you see it," quipped Chai.

Yin Yeping contributed to this story

When: Sunday, February 26, 3-4 pm

Where: Mako Livehouse, Hongdian Art Factory, Guangqu Lu, Chaoyang district

Admission: Free

Contact: 5205-1112