‘The Future to See Future:UK - CHINA YOUTH DIGITAL CREATION EXHIBITION(LONDON)’，an international exhibition that combines the innovative spirit and digital creativity of young people from the UK and China. This is open call for works from the digital creative industry, independent creators, and college students and scholars.
The exhibition, themed 'The Future to See Future' aims to explore trends of methods to envision and design the future. It encourages young people to creatively, artistically, and humanistically apply digital creative technology to express their imaginations about the future or respond to innovative challenges from the future including various fields such as education, environmental protection, sustainable development, arts and humanities, tourism and cultural heritage, sports and fitness, and therapeutic growth etc.
We welcome digital creative enterprises, organizations, startups, independent creators, social groups, college scholars and students to apply for participation. Submissions can involve digital creative technologies including but not limited to augmented reality (AR/VR), artificial intelligence-generated content (AIGC), Data-driven Content, Avatars, AI music, game design, narrative video, innovative hardware products, and more. We encourage interactive, experiential, and immersive digital creative experiences that resonate with visitors and explore the future together.
“The Future to See Future——UK-CHINA YOUTH DIGITAL CREATION EXHIBITION(LONDON) ' is not only an exhibition but also a platform for research seminars, industry collaborations, and creator exchanges focusing on the future of digital creativity. During the exhibition in London, there will be events such as the Future Design UK-China Industry Forum, UK-China Virtual Content Production Teaching Seminar, and Digital Creators Salon. We welcome your participation to this significant event.
Exhibition hours
September 6th, 2024: Launch Ceremony and Opening Exhibition
September 14th – September 17th ,2024: Join the London Design Festival and open to the public
Exhibition Location
ROYAL MINT COURT, London, UK
Organizational Structure
Host organization
Event organization
Co-organizer
Partner Institutions (listed in no particular order)
Icy Fire
Digital Ink Generative Video Art
YANXIU ZHAO（赵炎修）/ LAMPO LEONG（梁蓝波）/ JEFFERY STOLET
Macau
Scientists warn that global warming could have catastrophic consequences, requiring collective global action. This immersive digital ink video art uses the textures of Chinese ink painting and abstract forms to depict a glacier melting, with colors shifting from cool to warm, symbolizing the effects of global warming. The re-freezing at the video's end offers hope, highlighting the impact of our efforts. By blending traditional ink art with environmental themes, the work brings classical art into the contemporary realm, showcasing its vitality in the digital age and emphasizing China’s cultural wisdom and global responsibility.
Women’s Script
AI Interactive Art Project
YUQIAN SUN（孙雨茜）
London
"Nüshu," or "women’s script," is a unique writing system created by women in Hunan, China, to communicate in a world where they were denied education. "AI Nüshu" is an interactive art project that blends computational linguistics with Nüshu's legacy, training AI to mimic 19th-century women in China. This project creates a new language that symbolizes resistance to patriarchal constraints and highlights the emergence of language in a non-Western, feminist context. Unlike predefined systems, “AI Nüshu" evolves organically based on environmental feedback, challenging the traditional role of humans as linguistic authorities over machines.
LEGEND
Calligraphic colophon, encoded with data
WIESLAW BORKOWSKI JR. (白尾)
Krakow
A legend from China’s Yuan Dynasty tells of a Seer Sage with the extraordinary ability to predict the future. According to obscure accounts, he took a vow of silence at the age of 22 and encoded his prophecies within his paintings. However, no records exist of these prophecies being deciphered, and over time, both the sage and his works were forgotten. It is believed that only a few of his enigmatic creations survived, scattered across China.
It was until 2022, when Baiwei, an artist who had spent the last decade in China, came across a collection of peculiar ancient landscapes painted on silken fans. Baiwei, familiar with the legend of the Seer Sage, had also secretly studied the knowledge of his lost art. Recognizing the significance of these paintings, he became determined to unravel their mystery.
At first, Baiwei’s efforts seemed in vain. The only discernible detail was the presence of mysterious, spacecraft-like objects hovering above the landscapes—suggesting some catastrophic event. But as the months passed, Baiwei noticed something extraordinary: the paintings seemed to correlate with cryptocurrency trends in 2022. It appeared that, centuries ago, the Seer Sage had somehow encoded these trends in his artwork, predicting not only the downturn in the crypto market but also the very existence of blockchain technology!
To preserve this astonishing discovery, Baiwei recreated the ancient artifacts in digital form, sealing and signing them with cryptic calligraphy to ensure the prophecy remains safe on the blockchain forever.
When the Monument Dreams of Stone
AI Cultural and Interactive Artwork
YUZHUO ZHANG（张裕卓）/ MENGYA WANG（王梦雅）
London
It is an imaginative journey across time and space. It blends ancient stone steles with modern technology, exploring multiple dimensions of existence through dream yoga and AI. This work invites viewers to reconsider our relationship with past, present, and future, challenging traditional concepts of time and space. It demonstrates how digital technology can be used to examine our cultural heritage and envision a more interactive and inclusive future from an innovative and humanistic perspective.
Mortise Mirage
VR Immersive 3D Puzzle Artwork
MORTISE MIRAGE TEAM（墨境工作室）
London
This VR immersive 3D puzzle draws inspiration from traditional Chinese ink painting and mortise-and-tenon woodwork. Players assemble wooden objects with traditional joints within a virtual landscape inspired by classical Chinese scenery, allowing them to appreciate Eastern craftsmanship and cultural heritage. The experience is based on detailed studies of ancient Chinese wooden boat structures, offering handcrafted models that showcase this millennia-old artistry and wisdom.
Yi Series – Future Landscapes
Fictional Cultural Images
JIAYI LIN（林嘉懿)/ RAINE LI（李雨谦）
London
It envisions a future cultural landscape centered on Yi culture and explores future speculations on Yi's cultural essence from three perspectives: life experiences and wisdom, writing and symbols, and worldview. The concept of "aura," referring to the spiritual resonance of Yi culture, is introduced. Through imaginative reflections on future cultural transformations, the series reinterprets, compiles, and re- presents the traditional and ancient Yi culture. It juxtaposes cultural appearances and essence to examine the authenticity of Yi culture in the digital age. The work seeks to rediscover and create the “aura" of Yi culture, merging the past with future innovations.
Jingdezhen: The Digital Charm of Ceramics
Cultural and Interactive Artwork
JINGDEZHEN CERAMICS RESEARCH INSTITUTE（景德镇陶瓷研究院）
The Jingdezhen Ceramic Research Institute and ZS Tech's exhibit, themed "Future Vision," reimagines traditional ceramic art through digital technology. Contemporary ceramic works from Jingdezhen Master Craftsmen have been digitized using ZS Tech's "Timiro" technology, creating ultra-high-resolution 3D and 2D files. This exhibition blends traditional craftsmanship with modern technology, exploring new ways to preserve and promote Chinese ceramic heritage. Visitors can interact with the display, experiencing the fusion of ancient art and contemporary technology.
No.13 Dreamland
VR transmedia narrative fieldwork
YUANYUAN HU（胡媛媛）
London
It is a VR transmedia narrative field work. The work tries to creatively use virtual reality, AI visual fabrication technology, real-time interaction design and other means to reconstruct the Taixu fantasy realm under the cross-media field and transform the abstract dream narrative in the Chinese classical masterpiece Dream of Red Mansions into a tangible, operable, and palpable immersive experience process. Combined with multimedia installations and virtual reality games, the audience will re-experience the Dream of the Red Chamber in a digital landscape, reflecting on the impact of virtual media on emotions in the face of the digital age, and the never-ending quest of contemporary people for the spirit of love.
Data Conjecture Flower - Ink Series
Data Transformed Bio-images
MUCH MORE TEAM
London
It is a digital artwork transformed by data, aiming to explore the possibility of the existence of information things in virtual space.
The work transforms the image information data of “Shanghai Mint” and “ROYAL MINT COURT” into Chinese traditional ink style data flower images, symbolizing the diversity and unique charm of the two cities, these bio-images are not only the visual expression of data, but also the artistic reproduction of the city's vitality. These bio-images are not only a visual representation of the data, but also an artistic reproduction of the city's vitality.
Ecstatic Computing
AI generated video-playing Installation
ARTifACTS
Shanghai
Hundreds of lines of Chinese ancient poems were selected to inspire AI to generate scenery images under the supervision of the artists. Artists then processed the images with their computational brushes to create artistic expressions. From abstract texts to actual images, from history to nowadays and let the Eastern imagination meet the Western technologies, a computational fantasy was created.
Virtual Musical Instrument Museum
VR Visionary Project
MUSEBIT TEAM
Shanghai
This project merges art, technology, and education to celebrate traditional Chinese music while embracing global melodies. Utilizing game engines and augmented reality, it allows visitors to explore a world of instruments, revolutionizing music education and preserving cultural heritage. By fostering cross-cultural dialogue and interaction with diverse sonic traditions, it creates a global symphony of understanding and creativity. This represents the future of cultural exploration through technology.
Dear Ai-Da
AI Generated Film
LIN YE（叶琳）
Beijing
The authorship of current artificial intelligence (AI) art is assigned to the human author behind. Whether AI would shed its status as a tool and become the creator of art at some point in the future? This film is the result of extensive collaboration with various AI technologies, with the script co-written by the artist and AI. Interestingly, the main character's name ‘Artica’ was also derived from an AI- generated story. In this story, the AI creative software 'Artica' evolves into a self- driven artist in the 22nd century, much like a human. One day, 'Artica' dreams of a butterfly just like Zhangzhou Dreaming Butterfly(庄周梦蝶), and is deeply confused by questions about her identity and the purpose of her art. To seek answers, she writes a letter to her predecessor, Ai-Da, the world's first ultra-realistic artist robot, in search of the ultimate answer——Can AI become an artist in its own right?
Samples of the Future
AI generated Social Simulation Art Experiment
WENJING MAO（毛雯婧）
Hangzhou
This social simulation experiment combines AI and generative agent frameworks to drive virtual humans and show evolving behavioral strategies. By transforming characters into digital life variables, it reflects resources, environments, and fate, exploring artificial social connections and human diversity. The project uses advanced technology to construct “parallel worlds" similar to those in science fiction, with realistic cities and timeframes. In the future, computers may clone new life using human digital data, allowing them to live in and navigate these worlds freely, across different time periods.
Dimensional Strokes
AI Digital Series Images
SIMON LEE（阿文）
Shanghai
Created by Simon Lee, it is an innovative digital art series that merges traditional oil painting with modern 3D modeling and AI technology. This series challenges the boundaries of art, offering a unique multi-dimensional experience. Each piece showcases vibrant colors, intricate textures, and dynamic motion, redefining the intersection of technology and art. Simon’s work leads viewers into a realm where digital precision meets artistic expression, highlighting the potential of new media in the future of art.
Latent Space
AI Digital Series Images
HYACINTH（海辛）
Shanghai
Hyacinth’s “Latent Space" series aims to explore the potential visual associations of different images and concepts within latent space, creating a unique artistic expression through AI.
Dimension Bending
Continuous Shot Images, generated through data
CHI ZHANG（张驰）
Beijing
It is one continuous shot, where space is constantly transforming. Amidst the interplay of light and shadow, the boundaries between three- dimensional and two-dimensional space gradually blur.
Sea·Brainwave·Isolation
Interactive art, generated through data
ASH XU（徐础闻）
London
The waves symbolize the limits of the human mind, prompting reflection on the future of life and nature. The work challenges the boundaries between human consciousness and the natural world, urging a rethinking of entrenched ideas. It explores the tension between human civilization and nature's survival, emphasizing the fluidity of life and the possibility of harmonious coexistence. Using EEG and ECG devices, the authors transform participants' brainwave and heart rate data into a visual narrative, inviting viewers to speculate on a future where nature and self-awareness merge.
Mirror Test
Interactive Installation
QI QI（齐琦）
London
This interactive installation explores self-recognition and the human-machine connection, inspired by the mirror test used in animal cognition studies. The installation features a robot that appears to observe itself in a mirror, contemplating its own self-awareness. When a person passes by, the robot briefly acknowledges them before returning to its reflection. Through this depiction, the work invites viewers to reflect on consciousness, identity, and the evolving relationship between humans and machines.
Wind
Coding and Audio-Visual Interactive Images
ZIXUAN NIAN（念子轩）
Shanghai
Wind explores the transformation of the atmosphere while floating. The unity between heaven and earth intertwined with each other.
Boundary
Digital Generated Images
HAOFAN LIU (刘皓帆)
Shanghai
This work stems from my personal experiences in recent years, during which unforeseen circumstances have frequently placed me in challenging situations. Standing at a windowsill, gazing out, I often feel a sense of limitation—not just from spatial constraints but also from the uncertainty, fragmentation, and atomization of life. As I explored the concept of boundaries, I realized it could serve as a gateway to understanding and addressing many contemporary issues. This work expresses my insights on boundaries while also exploring the authenticity of confronting life's challenges.
Ecstasy Worship
Art project
ZHENGZHONG LI（李政钟）
Shanghai
This work explores the absurd phenomena in our lives through a looped video. In this world, where everything should be equal, things become distorted due to people's idol worship. We often sanctify ordinary things to cater to various desires and needs, creating a society that is both interesting and absurd.
Prologue
Interactive Installation, generated through code
HAOZHE LI (李昊哲)
London
The installation features a vulnerable living object that continually transforms in response to the emotions it receives. Inspired by the lighthouse jellyfish, which reverts to its polyp stage in unstable conditions and grows back into its medusa stage, "Prologue" is an interactive piece celebrating adaptability. The jellyfish takes on over 16 different shapes generated by code, each reflecting the openness and warmth of visitors. This ongoing transformation creates a feedback loop, turning brief encounters into a deeper, lasting experience.
Dinosaur Skin
Egg-shaped Diagram and Skin UV Map
YUECHAN CHEN（陈悦禅）/ XINCHI WANG（王鑫池）/ LUOMIN XU（徐珞敏）
Shanghai
Dinosaurs have long fascinated humans, evolving from fearsome creatures to more symbolic figures, though often inaccurately depicted. To address this, the creative team focused on restoring the 2017 discovery, Xingsulong. They analyzed it from multiple perspectives, considering both external and internal factors to accurately reconstruct its skin. The project resulted in two key outputs: an egg-shaped diagram symbolizing life and the team's approach to studying dinosaur skin, and a 3D texture map representing the final scientific restoration.
60s
Conceptual and Symbolic Video
YU BAI (白宇)
Shanghai
It is a unique digital artwork, which explores the short but full-of-possibilities time concept of the 60s with a profound and innovative perspective. Within these 60 seconds, people might be able to take a deep breath, conceive a brilliant idea, or convey a warm smile. The work visualizes time as river particle elements, suggesting that time flows like a river without stopping. The flow and changes of these particles symbolize the countless potential possibilities and uncertainties within 60 seconds. It reminds us to cherish every 60 seconds, to create, to feel, and to embrace the moments of life.
Infinite Dreams
Innovative Generative Installation
HIRSCH & MANN TEAM
London
This innovative generative installation at H&M's London Regent Street store features a dynamic digital canvas on one of Europe's largest indoor LED screens. The artwork interacts with customers as they move between floors, translating their movements into ripples and trails on the canvas. Inspired by H&M's garments, the ever-changing display simulates fabric in motion, adapting to time of day and upcoming collections. Seamlessly integrated into the retail environment, this installation redefines the shopping experience, turning the store into a must-visit destination.
Typoglyphs
Visual and Interactive Installation
PIERRE ENGELHARD
London
This interactive installation redefines the keyboard, turning it from a text entry tool into a medium for artistic exploration. "Typoglyphs" replaces traditional keys with abstract graphics, arranging typed letters in circular patterns accompanied by unique sounds. This design encourages a break from conventional text structures, blending graphic design, technology, and language. By challenging the traditional use of the keyboard, the installation invites us to see everyday objects as potential sources of new creative expression.
Melodic Flight
Music Interactive Game
YIXIN WANG (王奕馨)
Shanghai
This interactive work is inspired by my birds, whose branch-to-branch jumps resemble musical notes on a staff. Using MIR technology, players’ pitches are converted into MIDI values, controlling the bird's height on screen, creating an interaction between sound and the virtual world. The piece is an exploration of music, nature, and education, offering a gamified experience that enhances pitch perception and musical understanding while highlighting the connection between technology, nature, and learning.
Urban Sound Tales
Web-based Interactive Installation
SHIHONG REN(任时弘)/ TAK-CHEUNG HUI(许德彰)
Shanghai
This web-based interactive installation, hosted on JSPatcher and using WebAudio technology, allows users to create real-time soundscapes. It features four audio-visual scenes based on life in Hong Kong and Taiwan, blending recorded sounds, photos, and videos. Participants can explore and customize these soundscapes, uncovering and connecting sonic clues to craft their own stories. The work reflects interwoven memories of both regions, spanning generations of migration, collision, and fusion. This “invisible landscape" offers a decentralized, immersive concert experience, reshaping the relationship between player, instrument, and audience.
The Planets in VR
Innovative Virtual Reality Program
YUCHEN JIANG(江雨晨)/ ZICHENG XU(徐梓丞)
Shanghai
It is an innovative virtual reality program that transports users into the vast expanse of space, immersing them in the breathtaking symphony. This program not only offers a deeply immersive musical experience but also allows users to interact with a virtual orchestra using their hands, providing unprecedented entertainment and exploration. Users, wearing VR devices, are instantly transported to a space scene, where each planet is associated with a movement, creating a truly immersive cosmic atmosphere. The program offers various listening modes, allowing users to enjoy the full orchestra performance or focus on a single instrument, catering to their symphonic exploration needs. Beyond the stunning musical experience, users can also explore the appearance of different instruments and learn about music.
Clarri Mini
Instrument
FRANK（黄之炜）
Shanghai
Clarii Mini is a new type of instrument redefined and designed by ROBKOO Technology. Clarii Mini is not only a simple and easy-to-use wind electronic instrument, but it can also produce sound through shaking, becoming a fun percussion instrument.
Xinsheng Intelligent Speaker
Speaker
YUXIN WANG（王彧馨）
Shanghai
Shanghai Xinsheng Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. is a company focused on digital Hi-Fi solutions. The team is composed entirely of experienced product designers and senior technical engineers. They strive for a lean team size, strong technical complementarity, and rapid design iteration.
Mokeqin
Instrument
WEIBIN DU（杜伟彬）
Shanghai
It is an instrument that blends traditional elements with modern technology. It retains the essence of Chinese traditional instruments while integrating digital features to offer performers a richer and more interactive experience.
Z&H Pro Audio
Audio
WEIBIN DU（杜伟彬）
Shanghai
Pro Audio is a major audio field that is different from HIFI Audio. It is mainly used for professional recording studio and live amplification. Pro Audio equipment products are supplied to the world's top audio production industry, with high requirements for accuracy and reliability.