shuo zhao
Line Art and Body Movement
Summary
In the study of art, dance and painting are often seen as two separate art forms. Painting depicts the figure on a two-dimensional plane and focuses on the skill and dexterity of the artist's hand; dance, on the other hand, places the human body in a three-dimensional space and requires the mobilisation of the entire body's physical abilities and sensory experience. While paintings are appreciated for their static and permanent forms, dance performances are presented for their dynamic and instantaneous processes. This project explores how the static nature of painting can be combined with the dynamic nature of dance.
Additional info
In the history of art, the expression of the body has always occupied an important position and has never been absent. From the sculptures of ancient Greece and Rome to the frescoes of Giotto in the Renaissance, artists explored human emotions and philosophical issues by depicting human movement. In modern art, Jackson Pollock's action paintings and Yves Klein's blue nudes linked the body more closely to art, marking a shift from painting to performance art. This research aims to explore the role of the body in the creation of art, in particular how dance movements are transformed into dynamic line paintings through motion capture techniques and programming languages. This technical form of painting not only records the dance performance, but also shows the dynamic beauty of the dance.
"One Square"
How to describe space with dance? Where are the borders of the world? Are we in a giant studio like The Truman Show? Dance blends public and private, or internal and external worlds, and the dancer's body is always moving in the environment. In exploring this relationship in this practice I use lines to draw a square on the space, seen as a three-dimensional space, the box is invisible, the concept of "one square meter" this white space box. But it is deeply symbolic. It provides a platform for us to think about the relationship between people and space, especially how individuals interact with space in a limited environment.
As an independent individual, how to position and behave in space? In the "one square metre" white box, space is seen as a continuous "stay", a three-dimensional environment that can be re-edited. This inward-looking space explores how actors can perform within a limited space through invisible boundaries. In this way, space is no longer a passive being, but an active participant, influencing the individual's behavior and perception.
In the part of choreography, it is the actors' perception of the space. As an choreographer, I provide nouns for the actors. The actors perform improvisational performances in this restricted space, and they show the interaction between individuals and space in the process of birth, discovery, confusion, escape and powerlessness. In this way, the actor's body becomes a tool for measuring space, whether one square meter or ten thousand square meters, which is experienced and understood through the body.
One square meter space is not only a physical limit, it also represents the individual's self-exploration and breakthrough under the edge perception. In this restricted environment, individuals can more deeply understand their own relationship with the world around them, and find new possibilities and ways of expression. This exploration is not only spatial, but also psychological and emotional challenges, prompting individuals to break through their own limitations and discover new potential.
By exploring the concept of "one square meter" as a space, we can better understand the complex relationship between space and the individual, and explore how dance depicts space, which is a double-acting component. Our limited movement in space is reflected in dance, which is infinite possibilities under finite conditions. Describing this art practice provides us with a new perspective to re-examine the experience of space in our daily lives and to search for more meaning and value in it.
"Twins 双生"
Digtal Movement with Body
Based on the exploration of materials in the previous practice, I turned experiments into technical means. Dynamic capture on the field. It's based on the fact that dance is a bridge to create strokes that allow us to work from the inside out, or from the outside in. I use the medium of the body to visualize all my intentions. Think of your body as a paintbrush and train your body (essentially their tool of expression) to achieve balance, strength, and agility.
Because the human body is what people see when they watch dance. Sometimes the body is still; Sometimes you may exercise. Dancers can use their entire body when moving, or they can emphasize a particular body part. When we look at the whole body of the dancer, we might consider the overall shape design; Is it symmetric? Is it twisted? What is the shape of the body? Is the shape sharp and angular, or soft and rounded? Is the body curved, twisted, or straight? Which part of the body triggers movement?
These movements are holistic, and none of them can be seen separately. Capturing is holistic. The first part of my practice is only about the depiction of the body lines, weakening the entity, and only emphasizing the external contours. However, this effect evades the concept of traces, so the external outline is reduced to a state of lines. Use the visualization of lines to connect the body movements of the dance. Lines can be visually and imaginatively challenging. Lines can not only create a space or time experience on the picture, but also create a space or time experience for the observer.
Still from"One Square".2024.
Still from Dance Video"Twin双生".2024.




Untitled . Water Ink on Xuan Paper. 50 cm x 70 cm.2024.