The Avatar of DorianGray#2196
Group Member
Zihan Liu
Instructor
Inmi Lee
Type
Video, 3D modeling
Created with
Blender, Zbrush, Insta 360,
Adobe Premiere Pro
Time
June – August, 2023
The Avatar of DorianGray#2196 is a two-channel video installation that delves into a contemporary reinterpretation of Oscar Wilde’s iconic novel, “The Picture of Dorian Gray,” exploring how the emergence of the Metaverse might transform our understanding of personal identity in both the physical and virtual realms.
Wilde’s novel tells the story of Dorian Gray, who exchanges his youth and sins with his portrait, descending into moral decay as the consequences of his actions are borne by his portrait. Taking the novel as the foundation of the project, we reimagine the Metaverse as a hyper-advanced virtual realm, offering boundless possibilities while blurring the lines of accountability in real life. This virtual landscape becomes a fertile ground for the concealed desires of its users to flourish unchecked.
Within a dimly lit, enclosed space, two monitors stand sentinel, inviting viewers to embark on a journey into the Metaverse. Through the voiceover, a monologue whose texts are adapted from the original texts from the novel with subtle modifications, we narrate the gradual psychological transformation of a Metaverse user. This individual becomes increasingly ensnared in the allure of infinite pleasure, as their once-ordinary existence takes a sinister turn.
The horizontal screen on the left serves as a visual metaphor, weaving together 3D environments and real-world footage to symbolize the narration’s unfolding events. Meanwhile, the vertical screen on the right documents the gradual corruption and grotesque transformation of the protagonist’s avatar within the Metaverse. This multi-dimensional installation, with its carefully curated setting, evocative voiceover, and the juxtaposition of these two videos, serves as a compelling discourse on the potential of the Metaverse to nurture malevolence and unexpected desires.
Exhibition in IMA Gallery @NYU Shanghai, October 2023
Original video can be found here: horizontal screen & vertical screen (best experienced when viewing in sync).