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The Ticker Pin

This installation collects sexually offensive message sent to children detected by NGOs on various social media platforms; by exposing and cumulating these messages, it calls for more attention to child sexual abuse in the cyber spaces and better child protection on multiple levels.

Yunzhu Pan

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1phvwSSWnskkX_RHnxGJsss0uYMUpuG57/view?usp=sharing

Description

This project collects sexually offensive message sent to children detected by NGOs on various social media platforms; by exposing and cumulating these messages, it calls for more attention to child sexual abuse in the cyber spaces and better child protection on multiple levels. Most messages in this project’s database is collected by organizations like Bark, ChuLe, and individuals who has personal experience with the stated CSA issue, or involved in related activisms in various ways.

The installation is a stand-alone art installation, with a Raspberry Pi mini-controller running a program collection input data, and a thermal printer reacting in real-time, printing out the gathered data. The core components will be placed in a round-shaped transparent glass cover on a pedestal.

This project is a response to the issue of child sexual abuse in the online world, hoping to invoke attentions of parents and tech companies, which through research, are clearly proved to be the two parties that plays the most significant roles in dealing with online CSA(Child Sexual Abuse). The form of the installation is inspired by the “ticker tape machine”, an installation used by businesses to transmit and keep track of stock price information around the late 20th century. This particular installation was chosen because despite of any particular topic it serves, it perfectly embodies the role of a “perfect listener”; the ticker tape is a small device pinned into the real world, listens to live-data that’s constantly produced and updated in the real world, and acutely reacts to what it hears. This installation is designed to embodied the role of such a “listner”, that would monitor and “listen to” offensive languages and messages targeting children in social media and games, and would stay acute to any updates or changes.

IMA/IMB Shanghai
INTM-SHU.401.1
Capstone Studio (Shanghai)
Social Good/Activism
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On the Way Back

On the way back is a storytelling based installation based on true history to explore the isolation and essential loneliness of human.

Wenhan Dou

https://vimeo.com/417101570

Description

The project is based on and adapted from historical events in 1992. A Soviet astronaut was on his mission in space when Soviet Union collapsed so that he was trapped in space longer than he expected, unsure about when to go back. The project sets up the scene in an office desk of a rocket launch center, the staff working on this desk is receiving messages from that astronaut in the space station. The supporting documents and newspapers on the office desk, together with the message from the universe will bring the audience back to 1992 and have an immersive experience.

IMA/IMB Shanghai
INTM-SHU.401.1
Capstone Studio (Shanghai)
Narrative/Storytelling
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Lashi Conservation Park

Lashi Conservation Park is a photo book project that reflects on the social media induced tourism and its impact on the landscape of Lashi, Lijiang, China.

Yutong Lin

https://youtu.be/BABlw0LdtCM

Description

Lashi Conservation Park is a photo book project that walks on the popular horseback riding trips which take tourists up to the source of the Lashi Lake (拉市海) in the mountains. Lashi Lake is located in Lijiang, Yunnan, China. It was a pathway in the ancient Tea Horse Road before the twentieth century, the trading route between Tibet and China. However, the designation of Lijiang as World Culture Heritage in 1997 gradually turned the whole town to a tourist destination, which drastically reformed its landscape and demographics. Lashi Lake now operates more around tourism and its infrastructure than it used to be. Similar to many other famous sites for sightseeing in China, it also has been decorated with “scenic spots” for tourists to take photos for social media posting, which are the sculptures, props, and advertising billboards. To an extent, social media-induced tourism dominates the landscape, rendering the landscape secondary as the backdrop for tourist photography. Therefore, the local and historical context of Lashi is silenced and alienated. The further recontextualization of the tourist imaging on social media forces the landscape to acquire new meanings as embellished souvenirs. Collectively, the online circulation and repopulation of such maintain and reproduce the imagination of a tourist attraction.

The book aims to explore the visual language of the vernacular forms of tourism architecture, investigating the social media tourist’s experience through the photographic delineation of a foreign land. The linguistics of such can be shared and implemented to different places, forming a bizarre visual unity, a sense of “touristy.” Contrasted with more everyday visual encounters in the same region, together, they constitute the hyperreality of Lashi Lake, a sense of deracination from the typology of the land. By taking a camera with me everywhere I go, in a sense, I am also a tourist, eager to take photos when I feel conflicted or don’t know what to respond to what I see. As someone who has family ties to this village, who can’t speak her native Nakhi language, is the action of photo-making and photo documentation of this politicized landscape a form of reconciliation with my identity? Or does the intrusive camera further deepen the gap between me and my people, distancing myself from the water and soil of Lashi.

IMA/IMB Shanghai
INTM-SHU.401.1
Capstone Studio (Shanghai)
Culture,Art
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The Public Chair

The Public Chair is a social critique on classist urban design towards the homeless population in public spaces through the implementation of hostile architecture.

Sofia Shockman

https://nyu.zoom.us/j/95950394007

Description

Used for seating and lounging, a park bench holds the purpose of recreation such as people watching, taking the dogs to the dog park and waiting, or to have a moment of rest. The Public Chair critiques how park benches in many metropolis cities have systematically suppressed homeless individuals through uninhibiting design. The Public Chair is a bench displaying hostile architecture as a critique of contemporary urban design by removing all practicalities from a typical bench.This abstract installation represents the convergence of similar yet fairly distinct class struggles, specifically for the homeless. I researched the design techniques that alleviate homelessness in Houston, Texas and have conducted interviews in New York City with several who identify as homeless on 7th and 9th street. They shared deeply moving yet traumatizing stories of their lives from the past, present, and the uncertainty of their futures. I asked them how they felt about public spaces and what they wanted to see out of them, but what struck me about their response is that they didn’t care what improvements could be done. What I discovered is that the issue isn’t a design solution, but a question of public policy and proper policing. They said that police are vigilant of their actions, thus a majority of the time they are asked to leave public property. I witnessed the policing firsthand as I was conducting my interview, the same officer circled us multiple times even though we were just chatting outside of CVS. The piece symbolizes the perpetual loop of political design and the implications of designing with inhibiting factors that hinder the use of the public sphere.

IMA/IMB Shanghai
INTM-SHU.401.1
Capstone Studio (Shanghai)
Social Good/Activism
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The Little Things are Giant

Depicting an upcycled plastic tree sculpture amidst a natural forest, The Little Things are Giant is a photographic series that makes the invisible visible.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1iwtfkxQpQDq-LS-kv3oCSi-YLcrwY7qI

Description

Growing up in the suburbs of Maryland, much of my entertainment revolved around the woods. Elementary school days were spent in the treehouse, or hiding behind a tree during a game of hide-and-seek. As I grew older, I moved past the forestry of my own neighborhood and started hiking in other, slightly more distant forests. This personal connection to trees, along with the goal of raising awareness of terrestrial plastic pollution, are the leading sources of inspiration for The Little Things are Giant, a photographic series.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme, microplastic pollution is estimated to be 4 to 23 times higher in soil than it is in oceans. Yet, much of the media attention surrounding plastic pollution features imagery of disturbed marine life, with sea turtles and seagulls choking on the plastic can rings stuck around their necks. On the other hand, the infiltration of microplastics is largely invisible to the eye. These tiny pieces of plastic are carried through waterways, eventually making their way into our oceans and especially our soil. The Little Things are Giant is a photographic series that aims to make the invisible visible through its depiction of an upcycled plastic tree sculpture amidst a natural forest.

Following the upcycling movement, the sculpture makes use of heating techniques to transform plastic waste material. The tree is crafted from a wood and wire underframe and shaped by heating and molding collected single-use plastic bags. By transforming objects that were once considered trash into sculpting material, this sculpture shows the value of upcycling.

By focusing on trees as a subject, The Little Things are Giant draws attention to an environmental issue that is relevant to all of our lives, and one that is imperative to find solutions for.

IMA/IMB Shanghai
INTM-SHU.401.1
Capstone Studio (Shanghai)
Art,Sustainability
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Counterfeits: A Consumer's Journey

This website creates a creative platform in which users can learn in the form of an interactive case study and experience the role that counterfeit products play on consumers and on the global economy.

De’Yon Zechariah Keshawn Smith

https://youtu.be/bHSnagqYIzw

Description

This project documents the relationship between consumers and their journey to purchase counterfeit goods. Analyzing the depreciation of the value of luxury goods as a product loses its authenticity helps understand the distinction between counterfeits and real. Observing and documenting the economic and social models of the counterfeit market and other varied business case studies, I built a website that creates a creative platform in which users can learn in the form of an interactive case study experience. The project is intended to be used in a business course by any professor that wishes to explain the counterfeits market impression on consumers and the impact on the global economy.

The history and culture rooted in the creation of the counterfeit market have shaped the global economy as well as the current global nearly trillion-dollar market of today. Based on the scholarship of Jie Chen, and Pur Purwanto as well as the analysis of intellectual property rights policies in place for international brands, this project will elaborate on luxury brands’ positions in the counterfeit market and showcase the thought process behind a consumer's decision to purchase a counterfeit good. Analyzing concepts such as moral recognition and socioeconomic class will be used to decipher the relationship between counterfeit products and consumers.The website will take you through a collection of questions, data, and information that will leave the user with reflective and engaging interactions. There will be side-by-side images that will test the user's ability to recognize and distinguish the difference between counterfeit and authentic luxury goods.

Additionally, the case breaks down the intersection of vendors and buyers to the distribution channel of online e-commerce for consumers. A sequence of charts, graphs, and displays are used to visually demonstrate a more engaging and informative relationship between consumers and distribution.

IMA/IMB Shanghai
INTM-SHU.401.2
Capstone Studio (Shanghai)
Education
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Cough Syrup

Cough Syrup is a collaborative digital archive presented in the form of an easily digested zine; It aims to document, share, and guide members of the Millennial and GenZ populations throughout a time of quarantine and social distancing.

Benjamin Lasala Tablada

https://issuu.com/bentab/docs/coughsyrup_final1_

Description

I’m a member of what I like to describe as the ‘missing generation’—born in the year 1997, too young to relish in the golden age of the Backstreet Boys and the Spice Girls, yet old enough to still quote Vines even after its closure. Some say that I belong amongst the Millennial population, while others will argue that I’m a part of Generation Z, but this intersection is what makes my understanding of both communities so unique. I’ve lived through flip-phones, multiple recessions, saw the rise of Tik Tok, and am currently spending my 20’s in a global pandemic. The digital age is volatile in nature, but it is an outlet for this evolving community to express their ideas, moments of clarity, or in this case, obscurity.

Cough Syrup like its name suggests, soothes and alleviates—it does not heal, nor is it a solution to the ongoing pandemic—rather it serves as a method of coping and documents a time period in which members of the Millennial and GenZ communities feel tremendous amounts of discomfort. In light of the multiple nation-wide quarantines, members of these communities have utilized social media, memes, and digital applications like Zoom to serve as methods of self-discovery and a platform to exchange ideas.

The goal of this digital publication is to be humorous, philosophical, and profound, utilizing first-person interviews and current events as a method of chronicling this particular moment in history. Within ‘Cough Syrup’, the reader will find a plethora of relevant content from trending tik tok hashtags, the rise of Zoom, and data visualizations through screenshots and photographs. It attempts to deepen how 21st-century communities react to concepts of productivity, health and wellness, and the stark differences or similarities of our daily lifestyles through the lens of the ‘missing generation’.

IMA/IMB Shanghai
INTM-SHU.401.1
Capstone Studio (Shanghai)
Culture,Narrative/Storytelling
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THE CAGE

“Across the Great Wall, we can reach every corner in the world “… or not?

Ren Tao

https://youtu.be/Yn0lcMU60jo

Description

THE CAGE is an artistic installation made for reflections on China's world-strictest Internet censorship system. A wooden bird cage is placed in front of a white wall, and stands on a rotating platform. Three components make up the cage inner: The bottom stands images of China's ten greatest infrastructure projects from 200-2018, depicting the flourishing industrial development; Images of the Great Wall are placed at the top, which resembles the "Great Firewall". Between two parts, several twitter-logo like birds images hang in the air. They symbolize the Chinese netizens groups restricted in the cage. All elements are printed and cut on Chinese traditional parchment. Two LED lamps, which lighten up the whole project, are fixed in the middle hollow space. The installation is around 45cm tall, 20cm²; wide. All elements are designed in Photoshop, printed and cut by hand. Hardwares are available online.

Alongside the cage is a piece of paper attached on the wall, printing "Across the Great Wall, we can reach any corner of the world" with its Chinese translation. This is the first email China officially sent to the world in 1987.

This project expresses such an idea: When voices of Chinese netizens cannot be heard, they lose individual personalities on International social platforms, and eventually become a vague concept of mass collection (based on imaginary and limited information). In this way, the artist regards the system as a bird cage, through which communication between "human and human" can never happen. The artist asks the audience one question: "The country is developing by leaps and bounds, however with the "Great FIrewall" above the land, where is China going, as time passes? 

IMA/IMB Shanghai
INTM-SHU.401.1
Capstone Studio (Shanghai)
Culture,Social Good/Activism
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Sneaker Stats

An application that analyzes sneakers on the resale market.

Yijie Zou

https://youtu.be/QYNUsGlq_ow

Description

Due to low stocks, it is hard for consumers to purchase limited-edition sneakers in the retail market. A large number of consumers would purchase limited-edition sneakers in the resale market. There are numerous sneaker resale platforms around the world. In China, the two most popular platforms are Poizon(Dewu) and Nice. Outside China, platforms like StockX and Goat have a huge user base. These platforms do not have sneakers in stock, instead, they play the role of middleman in the trading process.

Due to the rarity of sneakers, sneaker prices in the resale market are usually higher than their retail prices and are fluctuant, which is similar to the stock market. Sneaker resale platforms outside China provide customers with historical data about sneakers such as price trends and trading volume. However, Chinese resale platforms do not want to be involved sneakers with investment, so customers cannot have an overview of the price trend of a sneaker, which is an important reference of their purchase decision.

This project analyzes data of sneakers in resale platforms and provides detailed statistics to help consumers make good decisions. Provided with data like history price trends, consumers can purchase sneakers when their prices are comparatively low. Also, data can indicate the popularity of sneakers and predict their prospect. Moreover, based on the record of the transaction, the application can analyze the possibility of illusory popularity. There are sneaker dealers who massively purchase sneakers and create an illusion that a sneaker is extremely popular. When the price increases, they sell these sneakers at a higher price to earn money. The characteristic of such activity is that the trading volume of a sneaker rises sharply and usually a single buyer purchase a large number of pairs. This is a warning signal for regular consumers because the price will fall sharply after dealers clear their inventory. However, all these features are not provided by resale platforms in China and some of them also cannot be found in platforms outside China. This project's ultimate goal is to help people purchase their dreaming sneakers at a reasonable price.

IMA/IMB Shanghai
INTM-SHU.401.3
Capstone Studio (Shanghai)
Tool\\Service
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A lonely Bird

Explore how game mechanics trigger players' emotional attachment to NPCs.

Muru Chen

https://wp.nyu.edu/muruchen/capstone-a-lonely-bird-how-game-mechanics-can-trigger-players-emotional-attachment-to-npcs/

Description

It is a 3D experimental game that explores how game mechanics trigger players' emotional attachment to NPCs.

IMA/IMB Shanghai
INTM-SHU.401.3
Capstone Studio (Shanghai)
Play/Games