Iris is an interactive experience that explores how we are cooperating, creating and getting lost in a collective imagination in the post-truth era. We live in a time when the boundary between truth and lie is blurred, and facts are replaced by shared fictions to benefit the larger collective. What I see largely depends on what we see as a whole. Collectively interacting with lights in an immersive space, Iris invites the audiences to observe, to create, and to reflect.

Iris is an interactive experience with lights. The audiences initialize the interaction by stepping into the illuminated area. Everyone will generate a new colored spotlight following them while moving around. All of the participants’ lights blend together and create a colorful annular form on the ground, just like the iris.

Other than interacting with the colors on the ground, the audience will also trigger a bonus effect when certain conditions are met. 12 rays of white lasers will appear from above, followed by a 10-second performative movements, and then disappear. These lasers can be seen as a sign of moving the experience from 2D to 3D, as well as a reminder of the physical world in this illusionary space. Or could it be a metaphor of Guidance or Awakening? I’d also like to leave this for open interpretations.

Iris examines an aspect of humans' social behavior regarding perceptions and beliefs. As a species, we prefer power to truth. We create fictions to organize billions of individuals, we create rules and goals for numerous strangers to cooperate and work effectively together. Nations, religions and all other powerful human organizations are all built upon shared fictions and collective imagination. While technology is making connections and communications easier and stronger, are we also being assimilated in the post-truth and losing individuality? Using visual metaphors and interactions, Iris invites the audiences to experience and debate the meaning of fact and fiction in today's world.

Click here to start the experience.

A screenshot is captured every few seconds when the program is running. Refresh to see the latest in the photo gallery below. (The newest 24 are shown.)