💎P o c o y o O o a r T.T
                                                                               

Unit  3
🔘 Gallery  🔘 Inspiration  🔘 Research  🔘 Process  


Research
---  Key Research Question/Core Subject ---  My research question explores how modern digital technology can redefine and revitalize traditional cultural practices, particularly divination and herbal healing. The core of this research lies at the intersection of Eastern and Western spiritual traditions, aiming to develop an immersive, interactive experience that embeds the profound significance of these rituals into a contemporary digital context. Through this approach, I hope viewers will not only intellectually understand these traditional forms of wisdom but also emotionally connect with them. This raises a critical question: does the involvement of technology dilute the sacredness of traditional rituals, reducing them to simplified cultural symbols, or can technology add new meaning while preserving their sense of mystery?


---  Key Themes and Specific Focus ---  My research centers on three main themes: the relationship between tradition and technology, the role of rituals in contemporary society, and the cultural fusion of Eastern and Western spiritual practices. By incorporating Martin Heidegger’s philosophy of technology, I critically examine how technology influences the “being” of traditional practices:
  1. The Intersection of Tradition and Technology
    By combining Taoist medicinal divination and Western herbal magic through digital technology, I explore how technology reshapes the meaning of traditional rituals. Heidegger argued that technology is not merely a neutral tool but a force that alters humanity’s relationship with the world. Based on this, I reflect on whether presenting these rituals in digital form transforms how audiences perceive them. For instance, I use a randomly generated interactive website that allows viewers to receive divination results by scanning a card. While this digital approach is innovative, does it reveal the essence of traditional rituals, or does it lose the original sense of mystery and cultural roots?
  2. The Role of Rituals in Contemporary Society
    In an increasingly fragmented and highly technologized modern world, have traditional rituals taken on a new role? Heidegger’s concept of “dwelling” suggests that the convenience of technology might weaken the deeper connection between humans and their existence. Against this background, I critically examine whether digital transformation has redefined these rituals: does it extend tradition, or does it turn ritual into a “consumable experience”? While this design may cater to modern audiences’ desire for immediacy, does it risk reducing ritual to a symbolic, fast-satisfaction experience?
  3. Cultural Fusion and Hybridization
    In the globalized digital era, does the merging of Eastern and Western spiritual practices lead to cultural superficiality or commercialization? Heidegger’s concept of “techne” reminds us that technology-led cultural fusion may lack depth and reduce profound culture to a surface-level symbol. I critically analyze the digital convergence of Eastern and Western traditional rituals, questioning whether technology can facilitate equitable cultural dialogue or inadvertently commodify cultural symbols, thereby diminishing their intrinsic value.



---  Methodology ---  
  1. Critical Literature Review
    Through a critical review of related literature and artistic projects, I establish a theoretical framework, examining whether the representation of tradition through technology has an “obscuring” effect. Based on Heidegger’s theory of “unconcealment,” I explore whether technology reveals or disregards the essential spiritual nature of these traditions.
  2. Critical Experiments with Materials, Media, and Digital Tools
    In selecting materials and media, I focus not only on their visual impact but also on their symbolic meaning in conveying the research theme. Inspired by Heidegger’s concept of “being,” I assess whether these elements effectively communicate the deeper significance of traditional culture. Additionally, I incorporate AI tools for visual and auditory representation, enhancing the work’s expressiveness and critically reflecting on the role of digital tools in the creative process. Specifically, I use a randomly generated interactive website that allows viewers to engage with personalized divination experiences in a digital space rather than simply simulating traditional randomness. This design prompts me to critically assess whether technology truly enriches the work’s spiritual dimension or reduces the ritual to a symbolic interaction.
    Moreover, I question whether this technology risks turning the sacredness and spiritual depth of ritual into a symbol, even weakening its essence. Can the fusion of AI and traditional media broaden the viewer’s understanding, or does it, in attempting to “simulate” the mystery of traditional rituals, lose the core meaning? Through this experiment, I aim to uncover the tension between digital tools and tradition, exploring the limitations and potential misdirection in cultural representation.



---  Reinterpreting Tradition in Digital Media: Balancing Deep Cultural Experience with the Risks of "Commodification" --- 

Throughout the creative process, experimental methods have driven our efforts to reinterpret traditional culture in a modern context. We are acutely aware that faithfully presenting traditional rituals and their profound meaning in the digital age is a significant issue of cultural representation and translation. As such, we have maintained respect for traditional roots, aiming to preserve the core spirit of these traditions within our innovative approaches.
Even without commercial intent, digital representations of traditional rituals may still carry aspects of "commodified experience." This does not solely refer to sales or profit but rather to a simplified, surface-level presentation where traditional rituals are recast as interactive content that can be quickly consumed, understood, and experienced. This format may allow viewers to grasp a fragment of cultural experience in a short time but may not enable them to deeply connect with its core spirit and cultural significance. In digital media, the complexity and mystery of traditional rituals risk being recoded as a visual, auditory, or interactive experience, which could reduce them to "consumable cultural symbols."
To avoid this tendency toward "experiential commodification," we emphasize fidelity to the essence of tradition in the design, ensuring meaningful engagement from the audience. This approach aims to create an experience that is not merely superficial interaction but instead a profound cultural exchange and reenactment. By combining theoretical and practical methods, we strive to address these challenges, ensuring that digital innovation both preserves the value of traditional culture and imbues it with new significance.
          1. From Temple Deities to Herbal Deities
  •              In traditional temples, deities serve as a central source of spiritual guidance, inspiring people to seek solace and insight. Drawing on our previous experience with the AI Mushroom Fairy, this project reinterprets the concept of deities by developing four herbal goddesses, each representing one of the four elements: Earth, Water, Fire, and Air. Using large-scale projections and altar installations, these digital herbal deities are imbued with a “life force,” creating a sacred atmosphere. This transformation leverages ‘’technological animism‘’, giving these digital deities a personified spirit and allowing viewers to experience a modern version of the divine.
  •              However, this digital animism brings up critical reflections: does this technological translation dilute the deeper spiritual essence of traditional deities? **Heidegger’s concept of “revealing” and “concealing”** provides insight here. While technology reveals certain aspects of traditional sacredness, it may also obscure intrinsic values, reducing the experience to a consumable visual encounter. Can the emotional connection that viewers establish in this interactive experience truly replace the mystery and reverence embodied by traditional deities? This question leads us to consider how to preserve the core spirit of tradition within digital methods, ensuring that sacredness is not reduced to mere symbolic consumption.
#       2. From Divination Sticks to Digital Fortune-Telling
  •              In traditional divination rituals, participants physically interact with divination sticks, finding guidance through the meditative process of drawing lots. In this project, we digitize this experience: by turning a device to receive a card embedded with an NFC chip, participants can access a fortune-telling website through their smartphones, where a computer randomly generates their fortune. This design retains the randomness and mystique of the traditional ritual while bringing a modern, interactive experience through digital media.
  •              This transformation raises critical questions from a semiotic perspective. According to Peirce’s triadic model of signs (icon, index, and symbol), traditional divination sticks act as symbols with deep spiritual meaning. Yet in digital presentation, these symbols risk being reduced to mere icons, potentially limiting participants’ experience to surface-level interaction without achieving the symbolic depth of traditional divination. Saussure’s semiotics also reminds us that the “signifier” and “signified” of divination symbols may become superficial in digital reinterpretation, shifting from symbolic meaning to an interactive, consumable icon. This design challenge prompts us to consider how to avoid oversimplification, allowing participants to retain the original mystique and unpredictability of the ritual, thereby fostering a deeper cultural exchange.
         3. Multisensory Reflections
  •              In ‘’Ethereal Herbal Invocation‘’, we sought to connect viewers with the spiritual essence of plants through sensory engagement, including visual perception and tactile interaction. Building on this multisensory experience, our third unit project transforms these interactions into a digital format to explore whether digital technology can stimulate senses beyond sight and sound, achieving the immersive quality of traditional rituals. However, ‘’multisensory experience theory‘’ reminds us that digital technology may limit the realization of a full multisensory experience, causing the sense of immersion to remain at a surface level of interaction without fully capturing the depth of traditional rituals.
         4. Jung’s Collective Unconscious and the Cross-Cultural Nature of Symbols
  •              Jung’s theory of the collective unconscious offers a cross-cultural lens for understanding the symbolism in our work. Jung believed that symbols like the four elements—Earth, Water, Fire, and Air—are part of the collective unconscious, carrying universal and cross-cultural resonance. These symbols not only belong to specific cultures but also serve as archetypes shared by humanity, evoking resonance across different cultural contexts. In our project, the digital interpretation of these four elements pays homage to traditional symbols while giving them new expression in a contemporary digital medium. This cross-cultural symbol transformation is essential to our creative process, as we aim for viewers to resonate with the elements on a collective unconscious level, sensing their timeless and universal essence.
  •              This approach reminds us of the importance of preserving the inherent symbolic depth of these elements in digital reinterpretation. As we bring traditional symbols into a modern environment, ensuring that they retain their profound spiritual meaning is crucial for achieving meaningful cross-cultural representation.



---  Digital Reinterpretation of Traditional Spirituality: An Exploration of Technology, Symbolism, and Multisensory Experience --- 

1. Technological Animism
Definition & Background: Technological animism is a concept that posits that technological devices, artificial intelligence, and other modern technologies can be imbued with “spiritual” or “life-like” qualities, transforming them from inanimate tools into entities capable of emotional engagement with humans. This idea is especially relevant in digital art, AI applications, and virtual reality, where people often start perceiving technology as “alive” or “spiritual” and form emotional attachments to it. Technological animism challenges traditional ideas of “spirituality” or “life,” allowing technology and AI to play more humanized roles in interactions with users.

Research References:
- Sherry Turkle, in her book ‘Alone Together’, analyzes how people increasingly see robots and AI as entities with “spirit,” suggesting that this projection stems from our need for interaction and capacity for psychological projection. Turkle argues that people emotionally depend on these technologies, making technological animism a growing phenomenon.
- Hiroshi Ishiguro’s research with anthropomorphic robots demonstrates that people’s emotional investment and attachment increase significantly when robots are given human-like traits, expressions, or emotional responses. His work supports the foundational concept of technological animism: that technology can exhibit “spiritual” qualities through human interaction.

Critical Reflection: While technological animism can strengthen viewers’ emotional connection with digital deities, it risks reducing traditional sacredness to a consumable interactive experience. In traditional contexts, sacredness embodies complex cultural, religious, and social symbolism, whereas technological animism can turn it into a simulated “spirituality,” lacking the deeper essence of traditional beliefs. Therefore, balancing digital spirituality and traditional sacredness without over-simplifying the essence of spirituality is crucial in your project.

2. Heidegger’s Theory of “Revealing” and “Concealing”
Definition & Background: In ‘The Question Concerning Technology’, Heidegger argued that technology is not merely a tool but a way of reshaping our relationship with the world. His concept of “revealing” (Unconcealment) and “concealing” (Concealment) suggests that technology reveals certain aspects of things while simultaneously concealing their deeper essence, leading to a limited understanding of the world.

Research References:
- Martin Heidegger’s theory emphasizes that while technology offers new ways to reveal the world, it may also “conceal” its true nature. He argued that modern technology’s efficiency and convenience reveal certain perspectives on the world but obscure humans’ fundamental connection with nature, reducing it to mere “resources” rather than a living community.
- Don Ihde’s post-phenomenology expands on Heidegger’s ideas, exploring how technology shapes human perception. He suggests that technology is not neutral but an “embodied” experience that redefines our understanding of the world. For example, experiencing the world through a screen differs significantly from experiencing it directly.

Critical Reflection: In applying this to your work, Heidegger’s theory suggests that while technology reveals certain elements of sacredness, it may also conceal the core spiritual values embedded within it. Sacredness can shift from being a profound, layered experience to a visual, quickly consumable one, risking a superficial interpretation. Though technological animism breathes “life” into your herbal goddesses, the technology may only reveal surface-level spirituality while concealing the deeper cultural and spiritual essence.

3. Multisensory Experience Theory
Definition & Background: Multisensory experience theory asserts that engaging multiple senses—such as sight, sound, touch, and smell—deepens immersive experiences and fosters a more profound emotional connection with an artwork. This theory is widely used in art, design, and user experience fields, especially in installation art, where multi-sensory interaction is considered a key factor in creating deep engagement with viewers.

Research References:
- David Howes, in ‘The Culture of the Senses’, examines the role of multi-sensory experiences in cultural expression and suggests that activating multiple senses can create a more immersive experience. He notes that in modern technology, multi-sensory experiences are often simplified to visual and auditory elements, overlooking the importance of touch and smell.
- Caroline A. Jones, in ‘The Split of Sensory Experience’, explores how contemporary and modern art use multisensory stimulation to achieve higher levels of immersion, particularly in touch and smell. She argues that engaging these non-visual senses can significantly enhance emotional resonance in artworks.

Critical Reflection: When translating traditional rituals into a digital experience, technological constraints may limit the multisensory experience. The digital environment typically emphasizes sight and sound, while neglecting touch and smell, making it challenging for viewers to fully experience the sensory engagement that traditional rituals offer. This highlights the need to rethink how multi-sensory interaction is designed in a digital context, ensuring viewers are not just visual participants but are engaged through other senses for a deeper emotional connection.

4. Peirce’s Triadic Model of Signs (Icon, Index, Symbol)
Definition & Background: Peirce’s triadic model categorizes signs into three types: icons, indices, and symbols. Icons resemble what they represent, indices have a causal or physical connection, and symbols derive meaning from cultural or conventional associations.

Research References:
- Charles Sanders Peirce formulated this theory to provide a clearer understanding of how signs function in different contexts, with symbols being the most complex, relying on cultural background and contextual interpretation.
- Umberto Eco extended Peirce’s work in his semiotics studies, pointing out that symbols can have varied meanings across cultures and emphasizing the importance of understanding the context in which a symbol is used to avoid misinterpretation.

Critical Reflection: In digitizing the divination sticks, their symbolic meaning (as symbols) risks being reduced to mere “icons.” In traditional settings, the sticks act as symbols with intricate cultural and spiritual significance. But when translated into digital form, viewers may interpret them based on visual features alone, potentially diminishing the symbol’s cultural depth. This suggests that in digital re-presentation, it’s essential to avoid the superficial simplification of symbols to ensure that their cultural essence is preserved and conveyed.

5. Jung’s Collective Unconscious and Archetypes
Definition & Background: Jung’s theory of the collective unconscious suggests that the collective unconscious is a repository of archetypes, shared across humanity, that reflects the deep structures of human psychology. Symbols like the four elements (Earth, Water, Fire, and Air) are examples of such archetypes, representing basic understandings of nature and the universe that recur in many cultures.

Research References:
- Carl Jung, in ‘Man and His Symbols’, explains how the collective unconscious contains archetypes that resonate universally, producing similar symbols and imagery across different cultures and time periods.
- Joseph Campbell’s mythological studies expand on Jung’s ideas, demonstrating how symbols such as the four elements reflect a shared human understanding of life and the natural world, reinforcing their deep psychological resonance.

Critical Reflection: Digitally reinterpreting the four elements gives them a modern format while aiming to resonate with viewers on a collective unconscious level, invoking their universal significance. Jung’s theory reminds us that preserving the deep-rooted symbolic meaning of these elements is essential for cross-cultural representation. Although digital media can modernize the four elements, ensuring that these symbols retain their inherent spiritual essence allows viewers to experience a sense of connection and understanding in a contemporary context, beyond mere visual consumption.