{"id":5808,"date":"2024-11-27T17:00:18","date_gmt":"2024-11-27T17:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itp.nyu.edu\/itp\/news-jianghao\/"},"modified":"2024-11-27T17:00:18","modified_gmt":"2024-11-27T17:00:18","slug":"news-jianghao","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itp.nyu.edu\/itp\/news-jianghao\/","title":{"rendered":"Jiang Hao, IMA Low Res Alum, A Conversation with Myself After Blossoms Shanghai"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\"A<\/p>\n
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Blossoms Shanghai was all the rage in early 2024, the streets of Shanghai buzzing with excitement over Wong Kar-wai\u2019s latest project. Among the dedicated crew members behind this cultural phenomenon was Jiang Hao. He joined Wong\u2019s production team as a planner in 2017, when the project first launched, and spent six years heavily involved in the research and development of memorable settings in the series like Huanghe Road, Zhizhenyuan Restaurant, and Bund 27. When Blossoms Shanghai entered post-production, Jiang chose to return to school, kicking off a conversation with himself.<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\"Wong<\/p>\n
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Wong Kar-wai (left) and Jiang Hao (right)<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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In 2023, Jiang enrolled in the Interactive Media Arts (IMA) Master\u2019s program<\/a> jointly offered by NYU Shanghai and NYU Tisch School of the Arts, graduating the following year. Thanks to the program\u2019s flexible structure, he was able to balance his work without compromising his studies.<\/p>\n

\u201cDuring the pandemic, there was an overwhelming amount of information about technological revolutions circulating on social media\u2014AI and GPT were advancing at an incredible pace, which gave those of us in traditional industries a sense of unease,\u201d Jiang recalled. \u201cWhen I caught COVID, I was scrolling through web pages out of boredom, and the IMA program popped out at me. I took it as a sign to apply, eager to step outside my comfort zone and discover something new!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe’ve Got Each Other’s Backs.\u201d<\/h2>\n

Jiang describes his IMA learning experience as well-structured, cross-cultural, and highly supportive. The program\u2019s unique structure includes two semesters of online learning, and in-person classes at NYU\u2019s global network campuses in New York and Shanghai, as well as at the global academic center in Berlin. Each location offers a distinct cultural context, providing varied perspectives to enrich the coursework.<\/p>\n

In New York, Jiang described the introductory courses as a "welcoming, open playground." This phase allowed him to gain a broad understanding of interactive media, with the freedom to experiment with creative ideas. \u201cStudying in New York was like having a vast blank canvas, where you could explore and create without any restraint. Every corner was brimmed with inspiration,\u201d Jiang recalled.<\/p>\n

"I was excited about experiencing the American style of education, but I was also a bit anxious, since I haven’t been in school for years, and I knew that campus life would be quite different from the workplace,\u201d Jiang shared. \u201cOnce in New York, I found my anxiety quickly alleviated by the loving community. There was a strong sense of support\u2014professors cared not only about our ideas but also encouraged us to understand others\u2019 perspectives. Since the IMA program evolved from the sophisticated Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP)1, it provided us with incredibly rich resources.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n\"Little<\/p>\n
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In New York, Jiang worked on an interactive project titled Leave Me Alone Machine.<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\"IMA<\/p>\n
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IMA Cohort in New York<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Honeymoons<\/h2>\n

The program’s unique structure also helped Jiang foster strong bonds with his peers. "Each one-to-two-month on-site learning phase felt like a ‘honeymoon’ with my classmates. Even though we weren\u2019t always together, each reunion was fulfilling and enjoyable," Jiang reminisced. These close interactions provided him with invaluable support and inspiration, both academically and personally.<\/p>\n

Of all his experiences, Jiang particularly enjoyed his time in Berlin. He found the city\u2019s vibrant and diverse culture to be an ideal complement to the \u201cLive Bodies\u201d course, offering him a deeply immersive artistic experience. \u201cIn Berlin, the entire city was my classroom. The \u2018Live Bodies\u2019 course made me rethink the interaction between humans and space, as well as the connection between art and everyday life,\u201d Jiang remarked.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Watch<\/h3>\n
\n\t\"Experimental<\/a><\/p>\n
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In Berlin, Jiang participated in an interactive VJ project titled Resculpting the Falling Pig.<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\"IMA<\/h2>\n

IMA Cohort in Berlin<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything Happens for a Reason\u201d<\/h2>\n

During the early production of Blossoms Shanghai<\/i>, Wong Kar-wai was meticulous about historical accuracy, down to the smallest detail in every frame. His insistence on intentionality greatly influenced Jiang\u2019s learning approach in the IMA program.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the IMA projects, we were encouraged to explore the motivation and rationale behind each creative idea,\u201d Jiang said. \u201cThis mindset gave me a sense of direction in my studies. Whenever I faced a challenge, I would dig into the root cause and systematically unravel the complexity.\u201d This approach enabled Jiang to navigate IMA\u2019s interdisciplinary challenges with greater ease and confidence.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe IMA experience has made me more confident because I understand that every complex creative problem has its own internal logic and reasoning. Once you identify and understand it, you can find a breakthrough,\u201d Jiang stated. This mindset not only enhanced his design skills but also helped him approach various challenges in a multicultural, interdisciplinary setting with poise.<\/p>\n

After graduation, in addition to continuing his work with Wong Kar-wai, Jiang is exploring new opportunities in writing and visual interaction. He believes that the IMA experience has laid a solid foundation for his creative pursuits, allowing him to approach new works with confidence and to apply the concept of \u201ceverything happens for a reason\u201d in conceptualizing and materializing his creations.<\/p>\n

A highlight from Jiang\u2019s thesis project, A Critique of Everyday Life<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Watch<\/h3>\n
\n\t\"Recording<\/a><\/p>\n
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A highlight from Jiang\u2019s thesis project, A Critique of Everyday Life<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\"IMA<\/p>\n

IMA Cohort at the Graduate Convocation in Shanghai<\/p>\n

Finding Inner Peace<\/h2>\n

\u201cThe IMA program was not just an academic and creative journey, but also a healing process.\u201d Jiang reflected. Through his experiences spanning three cities, he gradually made peace with himself and found his inner balance. \u201cThroughout this journey, I kept breaking down my old self-perceptions and rebuilding my values. This was not just about renewing my understanding of art but also profoundly reflecting on my personal life,\u201d Jiang shared.<\/p>\n

Today, Jiang continues to delve into the creative field, eager to incorporate the principles and methods he learned at IMA into future projects. \u201cIMA taught me how to navigate the world of creativity freely, and this confidence is my most valuable asset for future endeavors.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Jiang<\/p>\n

Jiang\u2019s Instagram Story<\/p>\n

\u30101\u3011In 1979, Professor Red Burns, known as the "Godmother of New York Tech," founded the Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP) at New York University. ITP paved the way for the development of several new degree programs across NYU\u2019s global network, including the undergraduate Interactive Media Arts (IMA) program at NYU Shanghai, launched in 2013. In 2019, on ITP\u2019s 40th anniversary, NYU Tisch School of the Arts\u2019 ITP program and NYU Shanghai\u2019s IMA program jointly established the Interactive Media Arts Master\u2019s program.  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

IMA Low Res \u201823 alum Jiang Hao was among the dedicated crew members behind Wong Kar-wai\u2019s latest project. Blossoms Shanghai was all the rage in early 2024, the streets of Shanghai buzzing with excitement over <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5808","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/itp.nyu.edu\/itp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5808","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/itp.nyu.edu\/itp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/itp.nyu.edu\/itp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itp.nyu.edu\/itp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5808"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/itp.nyu.edu\/itp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5808\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/itp.nyu.edu\/itp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5808"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itp.nyu.edu\/itp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5808"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itp.nyu.edu\/itp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5808"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}