PERFORMATIVE MEDIA / PROJECT REFLECTION

CHIAH CAI JUN 0365352

Bachelor of Interactive Spatial Design / Taylor's University

Performative Media / Sept 2025

Week 02 - Week 14 (Continuous Project Reflection Update)

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PROJECT 01: PRECEDENT STUDY & CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Instructions

In this assignment, we are required to research and critically analyse how the artists design interactions in performative media works. We need to understand how concepts, tools, interaction and aesthetics come together to shape user experience. To kickstart the project, we need to form a group of 4 members and select two media artists or collectives to study two significant works for each artist. 

The research artist or collective can be either local, international or regional, and there are a total of 4 works to study for understanding how the artists made their performative media artwork in terms of the  Input → Process → Output (IPO) model, alongside discovering the themes, technologies, aesthetics, and audience roles of the selected works.

 

 Figure 1.1 Project 01 Brief

Preparation Stage

When Mr Max released the project guidelines and briefed us on how to work on our first assignment, the first thing that came to my mind was FrameMotion's artworks, including The Little Prince, Art and Symphony, and The Greatest Artist from Van Gogh Alive. After forming groups, we did an internal discussion to decide on which 2 artists to study. I suggested researching one local and one international artist/collective, so we can have diverse perspectives and innovation that expands creativity which strengthens our conceptual reasoning, while giving us a richer toolbox for ideation and experimentation. Our group agreed on this, and we started to distribute the tasks among the team:

• Local Collective (Malaysia): FrameMotion
• The Little Prince - The Immersive Journey
• The Greatest Artist - Van Gogh Alive
• International Artist/Architect (United Kingdom): Jason Bruges Studio
• Life In The Dark
• Dichroic Blossom

Exploration Stage

I chose 'The Little Prince - The Immersive Journey' as my research artwork, as I used to visit the exhibition with my friends and really enjoyed the immersive experience there. The Little Prince was an Intellectual Property (IP) Exhibition organised by FrameMotion, located at Fahrenheit 88, Kuala Lumpur. It was a sensory journey inspired by the poetic vision of Le Petit Prince, inviting visitors into the timeless universe of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s beloved story. 

Figure 1.2 The Little Prince Exhibition Zone Breakdown

To study the technology and tools used by FrameMotion to create these kinds of effects, I conducted my research on their official website, including the recruitment notice, to understand the hard skills required for certain roles and departments. After filtering the information obtained online, here are some technologies and tools which I think are relevant to creating performative media artworks in The Little Prince:

• Interactive Projection Mapping
• TouchDesigner (Particles)
• Motion Tracking (Sensors)
• AI technology (Photobooth)
• Adobe After Effects (Motion Graphics)
• Maya, C4D, Blender (3D & Animation)
• Boujou, Syntheyes (Matching Moving Tools)

Figure 1.3 Recruitment Notice on FrameMotion's webpage

Research Stage

After doing my basic research on The Little Prince, I dived in deeper to study the design language and experience of the artwork, while also analysing the Input - Process - Output logics based on the guidelines provided by Mr Max. To make it easier and more direct, I focus only one interactive zone rather than analysing all artworks in the exhibition. I chose the 21st checkpoint of the exhibition named "Dancing Word of Stars".

Figure 1.4 Dancing Word of Stars (Checkpoint Introduction)

In this interactive artwork, visitors become active participants as their movements and real-time behaviours are captured and translated into dynamic visual forms on the LED wall, creating a playful, immersive experience that reinforces the connection between human action and the digital environment. From here, I tried to analyse the working logic of this artwork and obtained this summary:

• Input: Motion Sensors & Depth Cameras (to detect human movement and body outlines)
• Process: Real-time outlines generated by contour detection, then mapped to LED Wall
• Output: Glowing particles form a silhouette that appears at the corresponding position on LED wall

The combination of the deep blue background with golden sand and starlit white silhouettes gives the space a warm, magical feel, making the environment feel alive and inviting, as if it’s gently responding to the presence and movements of each visitor. By blurring the lines between the human body and the digital environment, the artwork creates a sense of being part of the starry world rather than just observing, evoking emotional engagement and immersing visitors in a narrative-driven experience.

Aside from the design languages, we also need to consider the effectiveness and critique of the selected artwork to determine the strengths and possible improvements to make it better and more user-friendly.

 

  Figure 1.5 The Little Prince - The Immersive Journey (Research Slide)

Reflection

From FrameMotion's artworks that we studied (The Little Prince & The Greatest Artist), we concluded that FrameMotion is good at using dynamic visual storytelling to bridge digital and physical spaces, as their design communicates emotions and messages through rhythm and flow. This research process inspired us to design an installation that encourages active audience participation, using motion, rhythm, and light transitions to convey a narrative, which can be applied in our upcoming project. It also guided us to balance simple aesthetics with rich sensory experiences, while blending digital and physical spaces to create an emotionally engaging and immersive atmosphere.

From my point of view, this project has helped me explore how a concept can be translated into an immersive, interactive experience. I have learned the importance of connecting narrative, emotion, and audience interaction, balancing simplicity with sensory richness, and understanding input–process–output logics to create meaningful feedback. It also highlighted the importance of a coherent design language, ensuring all elements consistently convey the concept. Overall, it reinforced that concept drives design, with every choice supporting the story and emotional experience.

Application

Having researched local and international performative media artists helped with our future projects, as it provided inspiration and guidance that taught us to understand previous works, so we can build successful ideas while strengthening our conceptual reasoning in developing design languages in our own work. 

By combining the inspirations gained from the 4 artworks that we studied in this assignment, we might be exploring the minimalistic style of motion design highlights (FrameMotion) and using transparent materials and mirrors to reflect light (Jason Bruges Studio) as our future directions to develop our upcoming interactive installation projects. Can't wait to see what's happening next!

Figure 1.6 Precedent Study & Critical Analysis

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PROJECT 02: CONCEPT PROPOSAL & EARLY PROTOTYPING

Instructions

In this assignment, we are required to develop a clear and well-supported design proposal for a performative installation or experience through concept exploration, early prototype testing and iteration planning. From this project, we are expected to show progression from our research in Assignment 01 (refine insights/extend ideas/refer new artists and examples) to strengthen our direction. 

We should demonstrate our understanding of interactive user engagement, combining conceptual clarity, strong reasoning and hands-on experimentation to showcase our early exploration (prototype) in TouchDesigner, which formed a foundation for our full-scale development in the upcoming final project. Besides having a concept proposal and an early prototype demonstration, we should also prepare a written document that expands on the same core proposal shown in our proposal slide.

 

Figure 2.1 Project 02 Brief

Brainstorming Stage

Our group conducted a brief brainstorming session to gather inspiration and identify possible concepts that could be applied to our project. Since our previous research explored reflective materials, I proposed the concept of self-exploration and reflection. 

I used to visit an exhibition at Ilham Gallery named "Jungle Jungle", by Taiwanese artist Zhang Xu Zhan, which delves into the shared and diverse cultural narratives across regions, highlighting how music's meaning and folk tales evolve locally. The exhibition showcases his stop-motion regarding local folk tales and all the props (including the scene setups and characters made from paper) he used to make the stop-motion video. The wide use of mirrors and shadows reflected cultural flows and human-animal connections. I was impressed by one of the exhibited spots where the artist placed dispersed mirror pieces on the floor and reflected a magnificent reflection generated by the fragment onto the green wall using white lighting.

Figure 2.2 Jungle Jungle Exhibition by Zhang Xu Zhan (mirror fragments forming shadows through reflection)

We extend the ideation concept into a more complete and in-depth storyline, exploring how the inner self is fragmented, layered, and constantly shifting in a fast-moving world. Through light, reflection, and movement, the installation illustrates how emotions, memories, and thoughts are refracted into multiple perspectives, inviting the audience to slow down, engage with these fragments, and recognise that identity is not fixed, but continuously shaped and re-formed through change and reflection.

The concept is also inspired by the form of colliding water ripples, where water represents the fluid and ever-changing nature of the human self. Just as ripples overlap, distort, and reshape one another, our emotions, memories, and imperfections interact and collide, creating new layers, meanings, and growth rather than a single fixed identity.

Figure 2.3 Class Activity (Brainstorming Stage 1)

 

  Figure 2.4 Early Concept Brainstorming & Installation Ideas

Exploration Stage

Agnes and I took the role of doing the TouchDesigner part, providing technical support to our group. Agnes touched more on human interaction prototyping and material testing, while I'm more towards the direction of exploring styles and forms. As our conceptual keywords are "waves", "ripples", and "collisions", I tried to find YouTube tutorials for learning how to make wavy forms that simulate water. I made my first prototype that showed blue shiny wavy lines that were colliding with each other. The mapping was formed by 4 main parts and these major breakdowns described how to turn noise patterns into colliding wavy blue lines that shine in the dark.

Figure 2.5 My Early Prototype Exploration (Further Prototype Experimentation)

Figure 2.6 Prototype 1 & Prototype 2 Overview

Prototyping With Materials

Using Agnes' prototype that includes human interaction (prototype 1), we did our first material test to try out if the reflection works. The projector was connected through an HDMI cable during the process, where a recorded video of using TouchDesigner was played. However, we noticed that the human interactive part is not so visible when reflected in the material. There is also not a big difference when the camera captures the interactivity and design in TouchDesign in a lighted or dark room, as when both are reflected, all colours appear.

Figure 2.7 Prototyping with Reflected Materials (mirror paper)

During the presentation, we mentioned the challenges that we faced and gained feedback from Mr Max and his friend, Mr Shakir (Co-Founder of Filamen), for further improvements in the upcoming final project:

PROTOTYPE 01

• Better to have contrast visuals to show the movement of reflection
• The changes of colourful lights might not be obvious when reflecting lights from the mirror onto the walls
• Not recommended to do a full visual of ripples as the changes in colours might not be clear when reflected on walls
• Having more contrast can show how the reflected lights move from one side to another

PROTOTYPE 2

• The contrast between black and blue shows the difference between the background and the waves, so the reflected wave movements can possibly be seen easily
  Try to explore how the previous prototype works well with this contrast visual

Reflection

This assignment allowed me to reflect on how a conceptual idea can be developed into a clearer and more structured performative installation proposal through research, experimentation, and feedback. Building on our research from Assignment 01, we have explored the idea that identity is fluid rather than fixed, and further extended it into inner selves shaped by layers of reflection, emotion, and thought. 

While going through the brainstorming stage, I realised that we can find some ideas that could inspire us through life observation and appreciating artists' works. It is really inspiring me with the possible installation outcome. Besides, I also gained a deeper understanding of how abstract ideas such as ripples, waves, and collisions can be translated into interactive visual language through concept development and early prototyping in TouchDesigner. The feedback process reinforced the importance of clarity, contrast, and iteration, especially when working with reflective materials and interactive systems, helping me to do better and improve based on the challenges faced.

Application

This prototyping stage has provided us with a strong foundation for future development by identifying clear next steps for refinement and implementation. We aim to refine the visuals, effects, and colour intensity to enhance readability and emotional impact. Besides, we will continue testing combinations of recycled reflective materials to achieve the strongest visual results, while determining optimal projector angles and installation layouts to ensure consistent and immersive reflections. By having all these ready, we believe that we can work towards the final installation more effectively!

Figure 2.8 Concept Proposal & Early Prototyping

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PROJECT 03: FINAL INTERACTIVE INSTALLATION

Instructions

In this assignment, we are required to develop our concept from Assignment 2 into a working performative media installation. The installation should integrate spatial form, performative intention, and real-time interaction driven by TouchDesigner. We shall create a physical installation (max 1m × 1m × 1m) that connects directly with our interactive system. The structure should actively shape how the audience experiences the work. 

Besides, our concept may evolve naturally based on your own exploration and any feedback received, but the core idea should remain consistent. The final outcome should show refinement and stronger integration between space and behaviour. The installation will be exhibited at GMBB, and a final presentation will be conducted to reflect on how it performed in that real-world setting.

 

Figure 3.1 Final Project Brief

Development Stage

As feedbacks were received from the previous presentation, we continued developing our prototype into a more complete form that suits our theme. I took the role in refining the colliding waves and ripples, while Agnes will be refining the human interaction part (Li Xuan, Zi Hui and Agnes will be working on the physical installation build). Remember what sir said, having contrast in visuals will help generate clear wave forms when reflected onto walls. 

Instead of doing a full-screen interaction, Agnes refined the human interaction by just showing a white glowing light when hand movements were detected. Keeping this simple will be a great choice, as the white glow can then blend smoothly and dynamically with the ripple waves I created, avoiding overdoing which might make everything look messy and complicated. As for my part, I added blue and orange gradient colours to the waves to show contrast in cold and warm colours. To show the difference between before (no hand motion detected) and after (hand motion detected), I added a blue-black water surface layer before the blue-orange waves to create an interactive flow:

1. When the hand movement is detected, the initial Blue-Black water surface will then fade off, revealing the Blue-Orange wave layer.
2. When the hand movement is no longer detected, it then transitions back to the Blue-Black water surface layer.

The Blue–black water surface simulating depth, introspection, and the unknown inner self, representing moments of uncertainty, stillness, or emotional quiet before reflection begins; while Blue–orange gradient waves simulating emotional transition and inner growth, where cool blue reflects calm, contemplation, and self-awareness, and warm orange suggests energy, warmth, and transformation, showing the shift from uncertainty to acceptance and development.

Figure 3.2 Refinement Made from Prototype 2 to Final Visual

*The detailed TouchDesigner working flow was documented in the Supporting Document. Please refer to the document attached for more information.

Projection Testing & Physical Building Stage

We tested the reflection with the refined prototype to observe the light change. During the test, we found that the colours of the projected visuals will be slightly pale compared to the visuals we viewed on our laptops, as the projector and environment lighting will affect the outcome. To solve this issue, we developed multiple versions of prototypes by adding more saturation and adjusting the brightness to fit the environment. Ensuring the colour lights movement could be seen clearly is the most important thing, so that our users can observe the light change when movement is detected or not.

*You may click the link text here to check out our demo and trial videos.

Figure 3.3 Prototyping With Materials

After testing the prototype with reflective materials, my groupmates started to build the physical installation, while I kept on refining the visuals and did some final touch-ups after their construction. The installation is mainly made of:

• Mirror Paper (uneven folded surface form installation reflective base)
• Mirror Card (to provide reflection on circular ripples)
• Modelling Board (to stabilise the installation base and foundation of circular ripples)
• CD Pieces (reflective fragments)
• Silver Wires (metallic connections)
• Wooden Sticks (to support circular ripples in different height levels)
• Aluminium Foil (wrap the wooden stick base to show continuity)

I did touch-ups on the installation by layering the circular ripples with more CD pieces to show diverse reflective angles of fragments on the walls. As the circular ripples looked visually heavier than the bottom part, I covered some wooden sticks with silver wires and made them spread out (like a flower), while adding CD pieces at the bottom of some wooden sticks. I also cut the silver wires into smaller pieces and twisted one end to make abstract "flowers". There's a regular pattern for the "flower" placement: only those wooden sticks that are not covered by silver wires will have this abstract form, so that the wooden sticks blend together with similar reflective materials.

Figure 3.4 Touch-Ups that I made (to make them visually balanced and maintain continuity)

Site Visit & Physical Setup Stage

After both the TouchDesigner visuals and installation model were done, we did our physical setup in GMBB. Mr Max has conducted multiple site visits for us to familiarise ourselves with the space and to plan how the physical presentation should be. In the previous projection and material test, we held the projectors in hand and projected at certain angles to form reflections on walls, but when it comes to the physical space, we can't do this anymore, as we need to find a presentable way to make the projector stable. 

We decided to set up our interactive installation by using two white blocks as the platforms for placing our items. The higher block is used for placing a laptop, while the lower block is used to place our physical installation model. However, we found that there’s an issue with placing the projector. It is not suitable to be placed on the higher block that we used for placing our laptop for display purposes. When we reflected the TouchDesigner project from certain angles onto the wall, we realised that the angles are quite steep, causing the projector to show unstable if it is not held safely.

To resolve this issue, we discussed with Mr Max, and he lent us his projector tripod, allowing us to set the projector to certain angles that we wanted. As the tripod has certain limitations, we tried to adjust the angles of the physical model (making it slanted). We covered the blocks, all the angular adjustments made and the laptop wiring with 2 black cloths to make it presentable and professional. To extend the fragmented characteristics of our theme, we pasted CD pieces on the cloth too. 

Figure 3.5 Installation On-Site Set-Up

Exhibition

The exhibition was held from 19th December (Friday) to 21st December 2025 (Sunday), from 11am to 7pm at GMBB. A total of 9 installations were showcased by our class, and we took turns overseeing and maintaining each installation throughout the exhibition period. In addition to monitoring the works, we also guided visitors by explaining the concepts and demonstrating how to interact with the installations, ensuring they could fully engage with the experience.

Figure 3.6 Prism of Being (Installation Images)

I felt especially happy and fulfilled as this was my first time participating in a public showcase. Seeing visitors of different age groups (including teenagers, parents and children) interacting playfully with the reflections and visuals of our installation was deeply rewarding. This experience helped me better understand how people respond to interactive artworks in a real public setting, and it strengthened my confidence and motivation as a designer. 

Figure 3.7 User Interaction

*You may click the link text here to check out our exhibition videos.

Reflection

This project allowed me to better understand how an abstract concept, such as inner identity, can be translated into a physical and interactive installation. Through the exhibition process, I realised that creating an effective interactive experience goes beyond producing visually pleasing outcomes; it requires careful coordination between digital visuals, input systems and physical materials to shape a clear and meaningful experience for the audience.

Testing the work in a real spatial environment is definitely a new experience that helped me recognise the practical limitations of projection and reflection, highlighting the importance of refining visual contrast and interaction clarity. Observing how audiences engaged with the installation reinforced for me that simplicity and responsiveness are key to successful interactive design, as these qualities allow visitors to connect intuitively with the installations.

Figure 3.8 Group Photo with our Installation

Personal Thoughts

Overall, this project strengthened my understanding of interactive installation design, particularly in balancing aesthetics, technology, and user experience. It also encouraged me to think more critically about iteration and continuous improvement throughout the design process. I felt happy working with my groupmates on this project; although we come from different programmes, we were able to share diverse perspectives and ideas, which enriched our discussions and design decisions. The collaborative teamwork made the process both productive and enjoyable, and it was rewarding to learn from one another while having fun creating the project together.

Figure 3.9 Supporting Document (detailed explanation of our project)

Figure 3.10 Final Interactive Installation (slide)