Tears of the Sky
Sequencing the Ending Moment
The moment before the ending of thousands of civilizations? Or a fleeting delusional thought of destruction?
This short film is a poetic meditation on the cyclical nature of existence, the impermanence of life, and the enduring legacy of civilizations. Set against the serene backdrop of a timeless lake, the narrative follows the dramatic approach of a meteor, which slows to a graceful descent in its final moments. This celestial event reflects ancient practices of sky observation, where scholars sought omens to predict the fate of empires and the fortunes of humankind.
The film captures the profound connection between humanity and the cosmos, using the meteor’s approach as a metaphor for the delicate balance between creation and dissolution, harmony and chaos. As the meteor nears its inevitable touch, the landscape transforms through various epochs, from the dawn of civilization to the present day, emphasizing the transient yet impactful nature of existence.
The sky, shedding its tears through the gentle fall of the meteor, symbolizes the interplay between fate and free will, the known and the unknown. This poetic exploration invites viewers to reflect on the fragile beauty of our world and the timeless cycles that connect us to the universe.
2024
Generative AI, Unreal Engine
Artist: Yufan Xie, Xi Wang
2024 SIGGRAPH: New Media Architectures Projection Show
In the idea of time and destruction, we aim to create a ritual of “waiting for a meteorite”, to show a collective memory as a ritual that reflects our contemporary spirit. In the extended last moment, the fleeting brilliance of civilization and humanity may have once existed, or they might just be transient thoughts in our minds. In the end, once the present fades, only eternal nihility remains.
What does AI means to us, and what post-AI art is? It is a medium of creating derivatives of one single reality or pattern, which applies to all senses and messages. Above all, time and space are where such enormous amount of possibilities are generated and stored, also defining how we access them.