Immersive pop-up exhibition by Lin Xinye in San Francisco

Artist Lin Xinye performing with singing bowls as part of the immersive installation Floating Dream.

“Floating Dream,” an immersive pop-up exhibition by Chinese artist Lin Xinye, will be held in San Francisco on September 14 and 15, 2023.

Emerging artist Lin Xinye, whose practice melds cutting-edge visualization technologies and traditional Chinese practices, will present her latest project, titled “Floating Dream.” Combining immersive projections and performance, this two-day installation will explore the therapeutic possibilities of visual and sonic textures. Building on the metaphor of the butterfly, which journeys from cocoon to the liberation of flight, the two-day, multi-sensory experience will engage the twin themes of environmental and emotional repair, and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to wildfire relief in Maui.  

Born in 1991 in Guizhou, China, Lin studied urban planning at Kunming University of Science and Technology, then received her Master of Architecture degree from Rhode Island School of Design. At RISD, Lin delivered a thesis on the spaces created within a raindrop that was exploded in a zero-gravity state. Lin’s deeply imaginative and rigorous use of technology in her art has garnered her exhibitions and accolades across the globe, including New York City’s ArtWalk in Times Square, the United Nations, and exhibitions in Hong Kong, Milan, and elsewhere. “Floating Dream” represents the artist’s latest incursion into the worlds of color, pattern, and rhythm, using technologies and methods both digital and ancient. 

Audience in a live immersive performance by emerging artist Lin Xinye.

Pulling from her research into Chinese philosophy and medicinal practices, Lin is interested in how contemporary technologies, such as augmented reality and immersive experience, can produce a sense of healing and communion between artist and audience, and between audience and planet. For the two-day pop-up installation of “Floating Dream,” Lin will employ intensely colorful kaleidoscopic visuals—including lattices, cell-like structures, and the wing patterns of butterflies—to create a calming, meditative effect. The biomorphic, psychedelic imagery will encourage a return to child-like states of wonder.  

Complementing these visuals, Lin will engage with the audience using a sung, performative storyline. She will also perform live music on the guzheng, an ancient Chinese stringed instrument that Lin has played since she was a child. The guzheng, a zither that is plucked to produce a flowing, dreamlike sound, is a more than 2,500-year-old technology, and its presence alongside visualization software such as Rhino, Grasshopper and Premier Pro represents the artist’s wide range of tools and interests. 

Lin invites the audience to metamorphose with her. “Come and heal with me,” she says. “Let’s take the memories of our past, mix them with the dreams of our future, and brush them on the backs of butterflies.” The three-hour immersive installation will include a reception, the interactive live performance and immersive art projection, and the exclusive sale of artworks.  

Let’s take the memories of our past, mix them with the dreams of our future, and brush them on the backs of butterflies. (Lin Xinye)

Held at an undisclosed location close to San Francisco’s Museum of Craft and Design, tickets for the two-day event can be purchased here on the artist’s website. A portion of the proceeds will be dedicated to go directly to the Maui disaster relief nonprofit organization Maui United Way, that is providing wildfire relief in Maui. Besides her work as an artist, Lin is also active in the nonprofit sector, working as president of the One Culture Foundation, which fosters cross-cultural exchange and development. 

Lin Xinye’s “Floating Dream” will take place in San Francisco on September 14 and 15, 2023. Tickets and information on the Website.     

Audience in a live immersive performance by emerging artist Lin Xinye.

About the artist

Lin Xinye is a multi-dimensional artist whose work bridges hyper-traditional concepts (she plays and composes for the ancient Chinese string instrument guzheng) with hyper-contemporary techniques. After studying urban planning in China, Xinye graduated from Rhode Island School of Design with a Master of Architecture. By synthesizing Chinese philosophy, soft/hardware technologies, concepts of medicine, and her twenty six years of guzheng experience, her work orchestrates immersive multi-sensorial spaces that rejuvenate the mind, body, and soul. Xinye has received accolades from numerous organizations including NYC Artwalk - New York Time Square, CHSA Museum, CICA Museum, Cooper Hewitt Museum, United Nations Economic and Social Council, RISD’s XYZ Magazine, Hong Kong Biennale, Florida’s Digital Graffiti Festival, as well as the Boston Art Festival ILLUMINUS.

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About the immersive pop-up exhibition

• “Floating Dream”will take place on two occasions oon September 14 and 15, 7pm - 10pm. The event is ticketed and tickets are bought on the Website.
• The exact location in Dogpatch, San Francisco, is disclosed when buying the tickets.
• Apart from the Guzheng, Lin Xinye also plays the Guqin, and Singing Bowl. 
• The software she uses to create these artworks include Rhino, Grasshopper, Blender, Maya, Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, Premiere Pro, Procreate, TouchDesigner, MadMapper, and Arduino. 
• The installation consists of two spaces with 22 feet ceilings. One functions as a small tearoom in which to enjoy Chinese tea and a singing bowl performance.
•  A limited edition of a one-of-a-kind art will be for sale (edition of 6) and a portion of sales will be donated to wildfire relief for residents of Maui. The Maui disaster relief nonprofit organization is Maui United Way (https://mauiunitedway.org/disasterrelief).
• The new artworks can be previewed and browsed in a virtual gallery.

Artist Lin Xinye talks about her work

- My creative process begins with digital drawings or 3D modeling inspired by my meditation practice. I bring these drawings to life in real-time as I perform with instruments such as the Guzheng, Guqin, and Singing Bowl.

- To capture the essence of this performance, I employ sensors that record the sound frequency and the intensity of my movements while playing these instruments. With this data, I synchronize the movement of my digital drawings and animations to dynamically respond to my musical performance. This interactive element ensures that each visual art piece evolves uniquely during every live performance, allowing for adjustments based on audience reactions.

- The culmination of this artistic journey involves projecting the work onto empty walls using projectors, transforming physical spaces into immersive environments. Here, people have the opportunity to meditate while experiencing this multisensory art performance. Subsequently, I record the animation during my live performance, selecting specific frames for high-quality fine art prints. I enhance these prints by adding intricate details using Chinese Calligraphy brushes, resulting in one-of-a-kind art pieces.

 - For the upcoming exhibition, I aim to provide a fully immersive multisensory art experience, complete with the opportunity to purchase unique art pieces. Beyond visual art and audio, my exhibition will incorporate lighting and natural scents to engage and stimulate the senses. 

- In addition to the offline art exhibition, I am also in the process of developing a virtual immersive online space for each live art performance. This virtual version will be unveiled on the same day as the offline exhibition, allowing people who cannot attend in person to experience the immersive exhibition online. It's important to note that all of my work is not related to AI-generated art. 

- I designed the first space itself as an immersive art installation, people could use this beautifully framed space as a small tearoom to enjoy the tea and a singing bowl performance and see the artworks for sale. Walking through the first one space, the audience enters the second space where they can sit down to enjoy the interactive live performance and immersive art projection.

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Lin Xinye is an emerging multi-dimensional artist whose work bridges hyper-traditional concepts with hyper-contemporary techniques.