Sunyata

Exploring and Co-Creating Digital Temples

Sunyata is an immersive digital experience, synthesized from the integration of VR and Unity technologies. The VR component empowers users with an open space to architect and refine their unique temples, thereby bringing the autonomy of religious creation back to the users.

Project Video

Abstract

"Sunyata" is a Unity+VR project that explores the themes of Buddhist emptiness, presence, and users' agency of aura towards religious art. Through the Unity and virtual reality experiences, users embark on a journey divided into four scenes, each focusing on different aspects of the project's concepts.

Chapter 1 - Distance: Users are immersed in a scene where they can only observe the art, creating a sense of distance that challenges their connection to the artwork. This intentional distance prompts users to question their relationship to art and invites reflection. Through a combination of curated music and mirror reflections, the project metaphorically explores the notion of being and the transformative power of self-reflection. The mirror reflection acts as a symbolic representation, allowing users to see the Guanyin in the context of the artwork and encouraging a deeper exploration of the users’ perception and interpretation.

Chapter 2: The Tunnel: It delves into the realm of religious art through a time-tunnel-like tower. Users encounter a scene featuring a monk chanting, and as the statues rotate around the time tunnel, they gain a deeper understanding of the significance and history of religious art.

Chapter 3: The Reflection: It explores the concept of the self, offering users the agency to engage in meditation and self-reflection. The scene incorporates elements such as water, symbolizing introspection. Users can navigate through the reflective water, symbolically representing a transformative journey towards self-awareness and inner peace.

In Chapter 4: Collective Creation, as we are led to the temple with postmodern style and traditional Chinese elements, the focus shifts towards collective creation. Users are invited to go to the VR setting, fostering a sense of collaboration and community by using the models provided in the scene to customize their own temples. This aims to explore the transformative power of collective efforts and the potential for shared creative expression.

By combining elements of virtual reality, sound, visuals, and interactive features, "Sunyata" provides an engaging and thought-provoking experience that encourages users to contemplate their relationship with religious art, and actively participate in the creation of a shared virtual environment.

Photos