Unit 3
🔘 Gallery 🔘 Inspiration 🔘 Research 🔘 Process
Process
--- The Digital Rebirth of Elements: Visual Transformation of Earth, Water, Fire, and Air ---
In the research conducted during Unit 2, we focused on exploring the symbolic meanings of the four elements—Earth, Water, Fire, and Air—and their manifestations in culture and nature. Each element carries unique symbolism and emotional significance, representing different ways humans connect with nature. Through an in-depth understanding of these elements, we sought to visually transform them in the process of creating AI deities that embody Earth, Water, Fire, and Air. We used Midjourney’s image generation function to sequentially construct four distinct deity figures. To capture each element’s unique characteristics, we incorporated the visual style and symbolic meaning of each element into the prompts:
- Earth: For the Earth element deity, we emphasized qualities of nature and stability, reflecting textures of plants, soil, and roots. The colors lean towards greens, browns, and earthy tones to convey growth and grounding.
Earth AI fairy
- Water: The Water element deity embodies fluidity and a gentle glow, with cool tones like blue and silver. We added ripples and transparency effects to simulate the fluidity and clarity of water.
Water AI fairy
- Fire: The Fire element deity is full of energy, characterized by warm tones of red, orange, and gold. The design includes dynamic, radiant effects to symbolize energy, transformation, and passion.
fire AI fairy
- Air: The Air element deity appears light and flowing, with soft, cool colors like pale blue and silver. Flowing lines and ethereal textures were used to convey the qualities of freedom, wisdom, and an otherworldly essence.
air AI fairy
We used Runway’s “Lip Sync Video” feature to give each AI deity the ability to speak and guide viewers through the ritual. This setup allows the four herbal AI deities not only to appear as static visual elements but also to interact with viewers in a more humanized manner, guiding them through an immersive experience. This verbal guidance further enhances the emotional connection between the audience and each element, allowing them to engage with a sense of traditional sacredness within the digital ritual.
In the final visual presentation, we project **large-scale images of the four AI deities** onto eco-printed fabric created in Unit 2. The fabric’s natural plant patterns and textures harmonize with each deity’s respective element, allowing the audience to feel the grandeur and sanctity of these elemental spirits as if they are emerging powerfully from nature to offer guidance.
This design choice enhances the immersive experience of the work while emphasizing the fusion of nature and technology, tradition and modernity. The interplay of projection light and fabric texture blurs the line between digital and natural realms, making the audience feel as though they are stepping into a space filled with natural spiritual energy. The powerful effect of these large projections endows each elemental deity with a vivid symbolic presence, letting the audience feel the wisdom and strength of these deities, as if receiving guidance from earth, water, fire, and air.
By combining eco-materials with digital images, this approach respects the natural origins of the elements while using modern technology to offer the audience a new, spiritually resonant experience. With the addition of the code poetry, the deities' guidance becomes even clearer, allowing the audience to truly sense the presence and power of the four elements.
--- ‘‘ Nova Arcane Oracle ’’ interactive website design ---The "Nova Arcane Oracle" website, created on the Cargo platform, is an interactive digital divination space. By clicking on the crystal ball on the homepage, participants can generate random electronic divination results, experiencing a unique journey of digital fortune-telling. Inspired by traditional divination practices, the site incorporates four herbs studied in Unit 2, each representing a classic element and carrying specific symbolic and healing attributes:
🜃 Earth (Mugwort): Protection, purification, intuition
Mugwort Section in Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs
🜁 Air (Lavender): Love, peace, harmony
Lavender Section in Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs
🜂 Fire (Marigold): Achievement, admiration, attraction
Marigold Section in Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs
🜄 Water (Chamomile): Wealth, security, luck
Chamomile Section in Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs
Each herb’s electronic divination result has both upright and reversed interpretations, with distinct visuals and meanings. I referenced Scott Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs to base the traditional meanings of these herbs and then digitally adapted them to suit the site’s modern experience.
- Visual and Conceptual Design
For the visual elements, I used the Nomad 3D modeling tool to create digital representations of each herb, combining modern aesthetics with the mystical theme of divination. We adopted a cyber-futuristic style, emphasizing each herb’s symbolic qualities through color, shape, and texture. This design approach creates a visually rich, immersive environment that merges the wisdom of traditional herbalism with the contemporary digital divination experience.
screemshot in Nomad
- Incorporating Emoji Spells
In the design of the "Nova Arcane Oracle" website, we introduced the concept of emoji spells to enhance the modern mystique of the divination cards. Emojis are not merely simple visual symbols here; they represent a form of digital ritual language, inspired by the “emoji spells” commonly used in Wiccan and Pagan online communities. In this context, emojis function like traditional magical symbols, enabling users to understand the card’s core meaning through a concise symbolic system.
- Crystal ball (🔮): Represents mysticism and divination, inviting participants to enter a space of spiritual exploration.
- Broken heart (💔): Suggests disharmony in relationships, indicating potential challenges or tension.
- Envelope with heart (💌): Represents a need for communication and emotional exchange, reminding participants to seek harmony through dialogue.
- Repeated crystal ball (🔮): Reinforces the ritualistic nature of the divination, encouraging participants to reflect deeply on their emotional state.
screenshot of the website （reversed Lavender）
This design of emoji spells not only gives the divination cards a visually engaging, modern feel but also helps users quickly grasp the card’s core symbolic meaning in a brief interaction.- Inspiration from Code Poetry and Content Creation
To make the divination experience more suited to the digital platform, we drew inspiration from code poetry—a creative format written in programming language but structured like human-readable poetry. Each divination result is presented in a code-like format, giving participants a sense of mystique intertwined with modern technological ritual. We began by listing the characteristics of each herb and their upright and reversed meanings, creating eight interpretations. Through discussions with ChatGPT, we refined and adjusted the content, ensuring that each divination result conveyed its intended message clearly.
screenshot of discussing with chatgpt
- Example Interpretation: Cyber Chamomile Transmission (Reversed)An example of these divination results is the Cyber Chamomile Transmission (Reversed). This interpretation offers guidance on facing challenges in the digital world, with symbolic messages and affirmations for strength. Here’s the breakdown:
-Message: Provides the seeker with an explanation of the reversed Chamomile card, as the Cyber Chamomile Spirit offers guidance for challenges in both digital and real life.
- Soul Words: Code-inspired guidance, structured as “functions,” such as:
- def detect_blockage(DIGITAL_SPACE): Identifies obstacles in digital spaces.
- def identify_risk(DIGITAL_ACTIVITIES): Ensures safety in digital activities.
- def boost_luck(DIGITAL_TOOLS): Enhances luck through digital tools.
- Affirmations: Provides positive affirmations, helping participants overcome financial and emotional difficulties, protect their digital life, and attract positive energy and luck.
Eight cards waiting for all the content
Four Elements Code Poem (AI Fairy guides audience's voice content)
- Purpose and SignificanceThe purpose of "Nova Arcane Oracle" is to combine the symbolic meaning of traditional herbs with a modern digital divination experience, allowing participants to gain a profound cultural experience within a short period of time. Each generated result is carefully designed to convey the rich symbolism and spiritual essence of the herbs within a limited interaction time. This design not only enables participants to quickly access cultural experiences but also invites reflection and deeper cultural and spiritual exploration through the continuously generated random results.
- Enhancing Cultural and Spiritual ExperienceTo avoid oversimplifying traditional symbols in the digital process, each divination result incorporates symbolic code poetry, emoji spells, and carefully designed visuals, making participants active participants rather than passive viewers. This design combines tradition with modernity, nature with technology, ensuring that participants can experience a deep spiritual and cultural connection in a short amount of time, achieving a unique immersive experience in digital divination.
--- The Making of the Card-Dispensing Device ---I created a card-dispensing machine out of cardboard, where participants can draw a card embedded with an NFC chip by turning a knob on the device. The machine is decorated with lightweight clay, sparkling crystal ornaments, and finished with a coat of silver paint to enhance its aesthetic and symbolic significance. The natural texture of the clay symbolizes grounding and connection, while the crystals represent clarity, healing, and the flow of energy. The silver paint adds a futuristic touch, symbolizing spiritual and intellectual elevation. Together, these materials reflect a harmonious blend of nature and technology, matter and spirit.
the process of making machine
--- Soundscape Creation with Elements and Code Poetry: An Auditory Experience of Technology and Nature ---In the music production process, we retained the background music from Unit 2 and the unique vocal treatment from Unit 1, preserving the overall atmosphere and thematic continuity. On this foundation, we incorporated AI-generated "code poetry," delivered through voice narration. Simultaneously, we used Stable Audio to generate four audio tracks, each representing one of the four elements: earth, water, fire, and air.
These elemental tracks not only add a unique layer to the "code poetry" but also express the qualities of each element through distinct audio characteristics: the steadiness of earth, the fluidity of water, the vitality of fire, and the lightness of air. In Ableton Live, we mixed and enhanced these tracks, adding synthesizer effects and reverb to create a rich soundscape. This creative approach not only conveys the natural power of the elements but also resonates with the deeper meaning in the "code poetry," ultimately crafting an immersive auditory experience that fuses technology and nature.
screemshot in stable audio
--- Carpet design ---I designed this carpet through Midjourney, aiming to perfectly combine the themes of spirituality and natural elements in the exhibition. The central embedded crystal stone further enhances the mysterious quality of the design, acting as the core of natural energy, drawing the audience’s attention and providing them with a sense of spiritual inspiration both visually and emotionally. The organic, root-like network on the carpet symbolizes the foundation of the earth and the flow of life, connecting and supporting all elements.
The silver details and shimmering points create a futuristic feel, symbolizing technological advancement and the elevation of wisdom, as if each line is conveying an energy flow. I hope that the audience can sit on the carpet, feel the support from the earth, and enter this spiritual space interwoven with nature and technology, experiencing calmness or meditation.
To me, this carpet is not just a decorative piece for the exhibition, but a gateway guiding the audience into an immersive experience. I want the audience, under the guidance of the elemental deities, to feel the presence and flow of elemental forces and to explore the harmony between nature and technology.
Additionally, this design also serves as the homepage for the interactive website and as the design for the NFC cards. The same visual language and symbolic elements unify the physical exhibition with the digital experience, creating a seamless journey for users. The organic forms, crystal centerpiece, and energy-inspired patterns on the homepage and NFC cards invite users to engage with the project on multiple levels, whether physically in the exhibition space or digitally through their devices.
Carpet Design Diagram
Nfc Card Design Diagram
--- Exhibition Scene Setup ---In setting up the exhibition scene, we first calibrated the projection positions to ensure that the images of the four AI deities align precisely on the eco-printed fabric, making them appear grand and captivating within the space. The card-dispensing machine is placed centrally with an instruction sign guiding the audience on how to interact with it by turning the knob.
To create an immersive atmosphere, a surround sound system is set up to play soundscapes that resonate with the four elements, enveloping the audience in an experiential audio environment. A comfortable carpet is also positioned at the center, inviting visitors to sit down, quietly experience the space, or engage in brief meditation, allowing them to focus on their interaction with the elemental deities and feel the guidance and tranquility offered by the exhibition.
Exhibition Setup Process