NeoL

TRINI


ーIn the GATA interview, you have been influenced by manga and anime culture as your future dream’s job was a manga artist in the junior high school. What was the first moment to be interested in manga and anime?


Yuen : 。.:☆*:･I remember I was saving the money from my parents for lunch in school in order to get myself a Shūkan Shōnen Janpu magazine. My first manga was HUNTER×HUNTER by Togashi Yoshihiro. The fantasy and quirky universe from each of the character and their super power really draw my attention then I was young. 彡✧


ーMystic creature also appears in your artworks as well as the elements of 90s Japanese manga and anime. Do you research about the mystic story to imagine the future or your artwork’s concept? If you have any favorite mystic or creature, please tell us about the details.


Yuen : ཀ`ﾒ Yeah this remind me and of the previous project I collaborate with BVLGARI and AMBUSH awhile ago for DAZED. They launch a new bag with iconic serpentine design with neon color bag. I present to BVLGARI and AMBUSH an idea of the Black Tortoise which is one of the Four Symbols of the Chinese constellations and it also means longevity.It represents the north and the winter season, thus it is sometimes called Xuanwu. As a result I came up with the idea of a secret lab in Kalaallit Nunaat called SHIYA SCIENCE. ☆ﾐ They are stealthily incubate the unknown creature in many unknown location.The one on the north which is the Black Tortoise who is a guardian of the powerful stone within the ice. When the human are overexploitation the resource the creature will awake and protect the earth.I collaborate with two of talented 3D artists based in New York which is Radimir Vkoch and Nathalie Nguyen and show them the visual references of Hydra from Greek mythology , Slavic mythology and Japanese mythology. ☆ﾟ*･｡*･: Finally the 3D animation was shown in the BVLGARI and AMBUSH opening party in Shanghai.Moreover,I will launch my personal project very soon is called CRYPTO MONSTER and it will sick. ☆*:.｡.o(≧▽≦)o.｡.:*☆









BVLGARI X AMBUSH












CRYPTO MONSTER

ーYour own creative agency, “SHIYA ENTERPRISE” works with fashion brands and magazines. In your artworks, fashion is also a key point to express each character. what role does fashion play in your artworks?


Yuen: ﾟﾟ・*｡•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*From my perspective, fashion is deeply connect with movement , music and the Sociology. It is an underground force from the youth and new generation trying to reshape the world via garment , performance. My profession back in BA degree at Central Saint Martins was fin art and particular in performance art.The essence of it is critical thinking and could apply on music , fashion , video art and any art form as well.Such as one of the most important composer John Cage.He propose the idea of let sounds be themselves rather than the sound as vehicles to express human emotion.His is challenge the idea of what is music really. ☆⌒ヽConsequently I am really into in any art field when the creator with rebel spirit such as Demna for Vetements and BALENCIAGA these days.He brings video game ,club culture and performance art into his presentation.However, as an individual I feel like the fashion is just an expression with who you are and what you do with your strong attitude.It should be free and anarchy. ♡ඩ⌔ඩ♡

YUEN HSIEH X PROTOREALITY GAMES ｜ TRINI NFT from YUEN.HSIEH on Vimeo.

YUEN HSIEH X PROTOREALITY GAMES ｜ AKINO NFT from YUEN.HSIEH on Vimeo.

YUEN HSIEH X PROTOREALITY GAMES ｜ SYTHE NFT from YUEN.HSIEH on Vimeo.

ーHow do you feel to change/develop the creative scene of Shanghai since you came and go between London and Shanghai in 2017 ? Before COVID-19, I often went there from 2018 and shocked the fast-speed developing to make creativity by the young people as a good way.

Yuen : ♰｡･ﾟﾟ* Since tik tok and instagram take over our social life and gathering all the big data from what we like and share. Algorithm is suggest you the feed with similar vibe and aesthetic.The authentic culture is still there but it also flattening the individual in a way.Overall it seems like it is a mixture of everything nowadays to blur the boundaries of east and west , gender , hi and low ,strong and soft.It is always moving forward like a movement I suppose.･ﾟﾟ･｡. ʚ(ȉˬȉ⁎)ɞ˒˒

ーI liked to go to ALL CLUB to see and meet the creative people. Do you have any other favorite spot to meet your friends? Or the recent upcoming spot in Shanghai?

Yuen : ♪♪Wow I would love to meet you at ALL CLUB and lets get some shots next time haha.People really want to party so bad since the lockdown and daily routine of COVID-19 testing back in China.Some of my friend was lockdown for more than 100 days in her apartment and the take away is super expensive during that period of time.It was crazy anyway and I was back in Taiwan for the AUDIO RIOT party. Hence, Club was close for like 2 months and it end up with another form of guerrilla party. It happens in the park, riverside , under the bridge and warehouse and I am happy to see the wild energy and power under zero-covid policy.◟₍ꃔ₎◞̊My favorite is a still the smoking areas out side of ALL CLUB because it is where ideas , love story , nightmare and new friends happens. ━=͟͟͞͞(Ŏ◊Ŏ ‧̣̥̇)━

ーYou also work as DJ and the party organizer called Audio Riot to have a party at Final Taipei in this April. How has the party scene changed through COVID-19?


Yuen : ꉂ The party was awesome and it is my first part in Taipei actually.Final was open right after the COVID-19 and its been a while to invite the international artist due to the 14+7 days quarantine policy. Somehow it is a shame when DJ can not travel around in various countries and exchanges culture , food and music. At the same time it is a good time for local DJ , promote and produce to have much more opportunity to curate their vision.
Therefore, it took me 42 day of quarantine for this party in Final in total.In short,I reach out a friend of mine who have his party table PUREG.♡The party is called Synapse – The contact between two neurons or between neurons and effector cells to transmit information. Synapse was introduced into physiology by British neurophysiologist CS Sherrington in 1897 when he studied spinal cord reflexes, indicating that the neurons of the central nervous system contact each other and achieve functional connections. contact” or “contact”.We were have immersive laser installation experience collaborating with Taiwanese aka Chang at the dance floor.Visual is creative directing by me and XIИ with 3D artist by Tec1n from Korea.☆
.｡･ﾟﾟ･In the end roughly 300 people came that night and it is my pleasure to meet old friend and new friend that night.The party end up 4 am in the morning and we went to Karaoke with many other friends and till 12am. It was crazy and tiring at the same time but I feel the energy from Taipei is pretty active and alive.･ﾟﾟ･｡.
Finally the border is open in Japan and many country in the middle Oct.☆It will be super crazy if we could to bring AUDIO RIOT in Tokyo very soon. ୯ૃ(⁎⁾̵ ਊ ⁽̵)੭ુ⁼³₌₃

AUDIO RIOT


ーIn Tokyo, two clubs of Shibuya – Contact and Vision are closed for the urban development and I’m a bit worried about the future community space for young people. I think Shanghai is more close friend to digital life than Tokyo, but do you feel the party or physical spot is important for them?


Yuen : ｡･ﾟ･Sure I always believe the physical place is where culture and communities happens.Due to the Zero-COVID policy in China people are lockdown for several months in the city without physical social life for most of the time in 2022.Hence many creator has a lot of to express in various of format such as party , protest , visual work , fashion and music. In a subtle way with aggressive impact and energy.In a way this is very Chinese style too to absorb the energy from suppress and autocratic. *:･ﾟ✧

ーIn this post, your new step as creative director for a video game will be coming out soon. Please tell us the details of this game if possible.


Yuen : ✩I am the art director and creative director of this DO119 (Derivative Outstation 119) game. This is also my first time participating in the game’s creation and story development. During the epidemic, this project allow me to communicate with creators from all over the world and work together. In my opinion, the COVID offer s the creator a platform online for them to showcase or sale their artwork as free lancer artist. DO119 (Derivative Outstation 119) is a new generation mobile game of Free to Play and Play and Earn developed by web3.0 game company ProtoReality Games. In the game players need to obtain survival and rewards through battle, racing, and exploration. In addition to participating in the creation of game characters and scripts, I am also responsible for the development of the artist’s limited edition NFT collection series, re-creating and adding new concept based on the characters in the game. We are currently working on the third NFT character design. The latest character is AKINO. He is a driver in the Team loop. AKINO lost his right arm accidentally during a race, and the Cybernetics Lab of SHIYA ENTERPRISE build a whole new mechanical prosthesis Cyber-2000 equipped with AI artificial intelligence fro him. The AI ​​system on the Cyber-2000 can prevent the mechanical prosthesis from being invaded by malicious software or hacking, which may cause serious damage. The Cyber-2000 battery can last for five days, and the mechanical prosthesis can be controlled by the user’s synchronized smart bracelet. I am trying to build a eco system from this communities for artist to exchanges ideas and sale their artwork through the game.( ◍ > . ╹)

ーI think 90s Japanese anime and manga draw lots of future visions with both expectations and emptiness after the bubble boom. What do you feel the future visions from 2020s?

Yuen : ♡The future is various range across a spectrum of post-modern human experience, exploring everything from cyberspace to surveillance culture to late capitalism.I am currently working on my new project “Digital Afterlife Agency” which is about the future I am imagine and would love to show you all very soon. •*¨*•.¸¸♪

DIGITAL AFTERLIFE AGENCY


text Yoshiko Kurata（https://www.instagram.com/yoshiko_kurata/）



YUEN HSIEH

Director / visual artist / DJ

Yuen graduated from Central Saint Martins and the Royal College of Art. Through his work, he has become an experimental object, devoted to digital creation. Using artificial intelligence and the Internet as samples, he blends subculture and electronic music, and employs experimental methods to transmit cultural heritage in order to explore identity, gender identity and minority groups. He is the only Asian director to be included in the list of “New Wave Creatives 2021” by the British Fashion Council in 2021. His short films have won Telly Awards, Leeds International Film Festival, Indie Shorts Awards Cannes, France, the Cannes Independent Film Festival . His work has been selected by SHOWstudio, founded by the legendary Nick Knight.The Forbes Under 30 elite list also included him as a candidate. His works have been exhibited at the British Film Institute, Institute of Contemporary Arts, LONDON DESIGN BIENNALE (London Design Biennale), La Biennale di Venezia (Venice Biennale), and he is now the founder of the creative agency SHIYA ENTERPRISE.

http://www.yuen-hsieh.com
https://www.instagram.com/yuenhsieh/