Cycle 2 by Jenna Ko

I used Isadora and Astra Orbbec for an experiential media design where projection content reverses in Korean political history as a participant walk towards the motion detector.

The content begins with superficial imagery of modern Korea with K-pop, kimchi, and elections. It reverses to 2017 impeachment and candlelight vigil, the democratization movement in the 1980s, President Park Jeong-hee and the Miracle on the Han River, 6.25 Korean War, ending with the Korean independence movement. As political polarization intensifies, I wanted to remind each party’s contributions to Korean democracy and prosperity for more respect and gratitude towards each other. This piece reflects my hope for politicians and supporters of each side to cooperate to make a better country than condemning and bogging each other down.

I used the Yinyang symbol of the Korean national flag to represent each political party. The Yinyang symbol represents the complementary nature of contrary forces and the importance of their harmonization. I translated the meaning to political colors, the red representing the conservative party and the blue symbolizing the liberal party. Synchronizing with the triumphing side, the yin and yang alternate as the participant walks towards the motion sensor until the participant reaches the Korean independence movement, where the symbol is complete.

 I could not make the motion-sensing part work, so I triggered the scenes manually for the presentation and utilized the motion sensing function for Cycle 3.