In a space filled with rhythmic wooden strikes and the soft mechanical hum of rotating sculptures, Ziggy Zhenglong Yang’s installations Nirvana and Emotion Protocol weave a story of tradition transformed. These works are more than just kinetic or sound installations—they are philosophical meditations on how ancient practices and contemporary innovation can coexist. By merging cultural heritage with cutting-edge technology, Ziggy invites audiences into an immersive experience that bridges the past and the future, the mechanical and the human.

Ziggy was born in Xi’an, China, a city rich in history and spiritual heritage. This environment instilled in him an early appreciation for art as a medium to preserve and reinterpret cultural memory. With a foundation in Mechanical Engineering, Ziggy developed a deep understanding of engineering principles, which would later become integral to his artistic practice. Over the years, he has cultivated a multidisciplinary approach that merges technical precision with conceptual depth, seamlessly bridging fields such as interior design, interactive media, and kinetic art.

Having honed his skills at world-renowned institutions like Pratt Institute and New York University, Ziggy leveraged his expertise in engineering and digital fabrication to push the boundaries of new media art. Rather than adhering to traditional artistic paths, he has redefined the role of an artist as both a creator and a mediator, capable of merging advanced technologies with profound cultural narratives. His installations are celebrated for their ability to provoke thought and engage audiences, offering innovative perspectives on the intersection of tradition and technology.

In Nirvana, Ziggy reimagines the Buddhist wooden fish, a percussion instrument used in rituals to maintain rhythm and focus during meditation in Mahayana Buddhism. The installation features multiple wooden fish, arranged in a precise matrix across five angled wall panels. Each instrument is activated by motor-driven mallets, synchronized through custom-designed circuit boards control system. It creates a meditative environment, where rhythmic strikes converge into a resonant symphony.

But Nirvana is not just about sound—it’s about creating a space for contemplation. Traditionally, the wooden fish is a solitary tool, guiding individual practice. Ziggy transforms it into a communal experience, where the synchronized rhythm envelops the audience, urging them to reflect on mindfulness in a world dominated by rapid technological change. “The wooden fish embodies a sense of constancy,” Ziggy explains. “By amplifying its presence with technology, I wanted to create a dialogue between the ancient and the modern, between spiritual stillness and the pace of contemporary life.”

In Emotion Protocol, Ziggy turns his attention to the human condition, exploring the dynamics of emotion in structured societies. The installation consists of 16 rotating four-face Buddha, each with expressive faces on each direction (joy, anger, sadness and happiness, in Chinese “喜怒哀乐”). Mounted on stepper motors and programmed to execute intricate movements, the heads rotate to represent the shifting states of human emotion. The work draws from traditional representations of emotional archetypes but places them in a mechanized, modern context.

For Ziggy, Emotion Protocol is a reflection of his up-bringing environment, also is a response to the tension between authenticity and conformity. “Emotions are deeply personal, yet they are constantly shaped by cultural and societal norms,” he reflects. Growing up in a society where emotions were often viewed as distractions rather than necessities, Ziggy found inspiration in both his personal experiences and philosophical reflections. By mechanizing these expressions, the work questions whether emotions can remain authentic in an increasingly regulated and automated world. The rotating sculptures create a paradoxical sense of both fluidity and rigidity, mirroring the conflict between individual emotional freedom and social expectations.

What unites these works is Ziggy’s ability to take deeply rooted cultural symbols and infuse them with new relevance. His practice is grounded in a profound respect for tradition, yet it is unmistakably forward-looking. By using technologies, physical computing and digital fabrication, Ziggy breathes new life into age-old ideas. His work is a bridge between the past and the present, offering audiences a chance to engage with cultural heritage in ways that feel both timeless and contemporary.

Ziggy’s contributions to new media art have not gone unnoticed. His installations have been featured in leading international exhibitions and widely praised for their originality and depth. What sets him apart is his ability to create work that is as intellectually rigorous as it is emotionally resonant. His art doesn’t’t merely display technology; it uses technology to ask essential questions about humanity, identity, and the role of culture in a rapidly changing world.

Nirvana and Emotion Protocol are not just art pieces—they are spaces for reflection, tools for thought. They invite viewers to consider what it means to be human in an era of machines, what it means to honor tradition in an age of innovation. For Ziggy, these works are part of a larger project: redefining how we engage with cultural heritage, not as something static but as something alive, evolving alongside us.

Through his work, Ziggy demonstrates that art can do more than entertain—it can illuminate, provoke, and connect. Ziggy’s work is a testament to the idea that tradition and innovation are not opposing forces but complementary ones. By navigating the delicate balance between the two, he challenges audiences to rethink their relationships with culture, technology, and themselves.

New York-based graphic designer Jocelyn Ziying Zhao is redefining the boundaries of design through her groundbreaking work at Google Creative Lab, where she explores the intersection of corporate technology and visual storytelling. Renowned for her expertise in generative design and creative coding, Jocelyn combines technology with artistry to create visuals that are both innovative and impactful.

Her recent ventures into generative AI have sparked new possibilities for artistic expression. “It’s exhilarating to see how algorithms can transform the creative process and expand the possibilities for the future of design,” she says. Jocelyn’s visionary approach has earned her accolades from leading organizations, including the Type Directors Club, Communication Arts, DNA Paris Design Awards, Core77, and Graphis, solidifying her reputation as one of the industry’s most forward-thinking creatives.

Jocelyn’s design philosophy centers on the fusion of tradition and technology, a theme that runs through her most celebrated projects: Fabric Museum, TextLoom, and Fluid Dimensions. Each project reflects her dedication to exploring how heritage can inform and inspire the future of design.

The Fabric Museum project is a testament to Jocelyn’s ability to honor craftsmanship while embracing technological advancements. Inspired by the Jacquard loom—a revolutionary invention in textile history—she developed a brand identity that bridges the museum’s textile heritage with its multidisciplinary ambitions.

The centerpiece of this project is the F Generator, an interactive tool powered by creative coding that allows visitors to design personalized versions of the museum’s logo. “Witnessing audiences engage with the museum in such a personal and interactive way was incredibly rewarding,” Jocelyn shares.

Adding to the project’s innovation, TextLoom, an interactive installation, merges traditional weaving with generative typography. Visitors use a typewriter-like device to craft dynamic messages, which evolve based on sound frequencies. This modern interpretation of weaving techniques has drawn widespread admiration for its ability to blend tactile art with digital programming.

Jocelyn’s project Fluid Dimensions takes a deep dive into the abstract world of cyberspace, making the intangible tangible. Through eight chapters, she explores the architecture of digital interactions using 3D typography, generative design, and virtual reality.

A standout feature is the VR component, which Jocelyn developed in just one month using Unity. The immersive experience offers users a journey through the layered dimensions of cyberspace. “The project captures the fluidity of our online lives, turning abstract concepts into visuals that are both compelling and relatable,” she explains.

Jocelyn’s work at Google Creative Lab continues to push boundaries, leveraging tools like generative AI to amplify creativity. “Technology is not a replacement for human ingenuity—it’s a tool to elevate it,” she emphasizes.

Her ultimate goal is to make design accessible, inspiring curiosity and engagement across diverse audiences. Whether reviving weaving traditions, visualizing digital networks, or exploring AI’s creative potential, Jocelyn’s projects reflect a profound commitment to innovation and storytelling.

As one of the design industry’s leading talents, Jocelyn Ziying Zhao is paving the way for a new era of visual communication, where tradition meets technology and creativity knows no bounds.

Ephemeral I is, at first glance, utterly fragile. Like spun sugar. Yet it holds a curious power, inviting us to ponder the limits of form. Yujie Yang captures a fleeting instant, as if time paused mid-splash. Glass can be both breakable and enduring. This tension fascinates. She shows movement harnessed by careful craftsmanship in a single, frosty sculpture. You can sense fluidity lingering just below the surface. Lean in closer. Icicle-like ridges shimmer under the light, reflecting an entire world of paradoxical energies. It is a moment frozen in space, yet humming with life.

At its core, Ephemeral I explores the idea that fragility need not be a liability. Sometimes, it speaks of hidden resilience. The crystalline tendrils appear to dance, defying gravity, as if refusing to accept their own limitations. In this way, Yujie’s vision becomes a metaphor for our collective yearning to transcend boundaries and float free of earthly constraints. The piece shimmers with a gentle, otherworldly aura, reminiscent of early morning frost kissed by the dawn. Translucence plays a key role. As light seeps through each spindly formation, a kaleidoscope of shadows emerges on adjacent surfaces, hinting at Glass’s infinite possibilities. Intriguingly, the base of the sculpture feels heavier, anchoring this airy spectacle. That interplay of weight and weightlessness prompts viewers to question whether we, too, can find poise in our most delicate moments. It is a captivating conversation between matter, imagination, and the human spirit—a silent yet compelling triumph.

Central to Yujie’s artistic practice is the notion that Glass, though seemingly immutable once cooled, never truly loses its capacity for metamorphosis. She reminds us that given enough heat, this material can always revert to liquid form, ready to be shaped again. In this sense, Ephemeral I symbolises the unstoppable nature of change. Like a single breath on a frosty pane, it hovers between states, simultaneously solid and in constant flux. Light penetrates its surface, revealing minute inconsistencies and delicate bubbles that whisper of the molten dance from which it was born. This quiet backstory infuses the piece with a sense of living history. One can almost hear the pop and hiss of its creation, or feel the heat of the lampwork technique that coaxed it into existence. For Yujie, that improvisational approach—devoid of sketches or rigid plans—becomes an essential component, echoing the spontaneous rhythms found throughout nature itself. Nothing is forced. Everything flows. That creative freedom breathes life into every curve and contour, ensuring each droplet-like protrusion feels entirely organic. You sense the tension of a moment captured in Glass, as though every bubble might burst into motion at any instant. Transience finds refuge here, refusing to be tamed.

Beyond mere technique, Ephemeral I resonates with more resounding cultural echoes. Yujie references the Chinese concept of ‘ephemerality,’ often symbolised by the fleeting bloom of the night-blooming cereus. Like that elusive flower, the sculpture relishes its own impermanence, reminding us that all beauty is bound by time. Yet this acknowledgement of transience does not diminish the piece’s power. Instead, it imbues it with a sense of urgency, urging viewers to savour every gleam of light, every icy contour, before it drifts into memory. In a world obsessed with preservation, where even cave paintings once sought to outwit oblivion, Yujie’s glass creation stands as a luminous testament to the futility and wonder of making moments last. Here, the medium itself becomes a metaphor for human longing, shimmering with the tension between presence and absence. Within each tendril, we glimpse the fragility of time passing. Within each reflection, we see ourselves. That is the quiet truth of her work. Such an emotional pull beckons us closer, almost daring us to touch something that might shatter beneath our fingertips or endure as a crystal memory forever. Hovering on the brink, it enchants with echoes of the uncanny ephemeral, yet stands defiantly as living proof.

For those familiar with Yujie’s background in 2D animation and illustration, Ephemeral I may seem a bold detour. Yet the underlying threads remain: narrative, motion, and a keen sense of wonder. Glass acts as her stage, with light as the lead performer. Through each transparent flourish, she conjures vivid stories that transcend simple form. We observe a tangible memory, forged by heat yet alive with fluid potential. In gazing upon Ephemeral I, we also participate in its ongoing story.