XR Gold Award-winning director Huang Hsin-chien describes immersive experience of VR works to students
The Department of Digital Arts and Creative Industries at Lingnan University recently invited Taiwanese new media artist and XR director Prof Huang Hsin-chien to lecture on creating VR works and participating in international film festivals through a seminar and workshop in order to broaden the students’ horizons.
During his nearly 30 years in cross-media arts, Prof Huang Hsin-chien who was the Art Director for SEGA and SONY Computer Entertainment in the United States, specialised in innovative projects encompassing interdisciplinary interaction, performance, mechanical apparatus, algorithmic computation, and video installation. His groundbreaking VR works have received international accolades, including Best VR Experience at the Venice Film Festival and Best VR Story at the Cannes XR, and been shown in galleries, museums, and exhibitions worldwide.
Over nearly 30 years in cross-media art, Prof Huang has earned numerous awards.
‘’Recently, I have transitioned from storytelling to story-living in interactive media and virtual reality,’’ Prof Huang said, adding that he believes VR technology is greatly beneficial to education. He is happy to live in the digital age, recognising that virtual reality brings both discussions and controversies, as well as new possibilities.
Animation and Digital Arts students encounter Prof Huang's VR works in class.
Prof Huang pointed out that the biggest difference between VR and film is that the creator cannot control what the viewer sees. And there is a significant difference between experiencing VR in real life and watching VR videos. To enable students to understand better, he showed his VR creations "Samsara" and "Bodyless" to the Animation and Digital Arts class, allowing students to immerse themselves.
Prof Huang agrees that Lingnan University’s liberal arts education is good for students' creativity. "A liberal arts education helps students understand more about what is happening in human society, which in turn becomes a theme in art." He encourages students to remain curious because these skills and knowledge will feed their future perception.
The seminar "Hsin-Chien Huang's XR Works" has attracted many students.
Prof Huang (fifth from the right in the back row) poses for a photo with students from the Department of Digital Arts and Creative Industries.