Being an outspoken individual I am often asked to project a vision of what I foresee in the near future, what lies ahead for media arts, or new media, or a creative palette of artistic expression? How do we anticipate the future and what will be the role for artistic individuals in its shaping? What kind of creative canvases will the future offer us? How will technology, sciences and their fusion with arts impact our creative powers? How will imagination fit into this brave new world?

I guaranty that there are as many answers to these questions as there are those individuals who are willing to risk sharing their answers to them. Hence I shall speak for myself and no one else. In recent years entertainment has become progressively more immersive and also, what is often referred to as 4D, aimed to impact us through all of our senses, make us experience it with our whole bodies. This is exciting! As interactivity is being injected into these experiences, the visitor, or the user, will progressively be empowered to play an active, creative role in own experience.

 

Until now most, if not all, of my blogs have been inspired and dedicated to reflections on deeper human issues. The very last one shared my intense experience of the conflict between Israel and the West Bank, likely one of the most complex of topics. The last 6 months, which seems to be the magic period of time I spend in various places around the world, I lived in Los Angeles. Going there I anticipated being turned off by the plasticity and artificiality, even superficiality of the people, and the environment there. And so, for the initial period, one in which I was subletting in Beverly Hills, of all of the places, my expectations were fulfilled. People were polite but yet in the kind of insincere way we can be towards each other. But then I moved to another location and people as well as the character of the environment changed to, becoming less plastic, less fake, less bogus. This was a welcomed change. And thus Los Angeles grew on me. And so, now having just departed this vast entity, at least for now, after spending the last couple of weeks in Venice Beach there, to culminate the experience and unwind in preparation for the challenges ahead, I thought to reflect upon some of the beauty I encountered there, and was truly touched by. Wishing to make this purely emotional and subliminal, I shall refrain from further words and allow the images to speak for themselves. I do hope you shall enjoy them and find in them some calm and peace.

Take a look at the astonishing developments, architectural, cultural, entertainment or city planning initiatives arising in China, under the very political and ideological system our “New World” had branded as the red peril (or whatever the lexis was), the foe of the “free” world (just in case you are confused, or do not know, that’s us), the Communism we had fought against for decades. And look now? Where would our “New World” be without their newly found affluence? Watch their booming economy, ambitious expansionism and clear aspirations for the very role we have played until now, the leadership and dominance of the world, the “Old” and the “New”.

However tempting, I shall refrain from spiraling into politics. This is not the topic of this blog. Nor am I endorsing communism. I have tasted its grip while growing up back in Eastern Europe, the “Old World”. I had my share, thank you. This reflection is devoted to the spirit of imagination, innovation, ideation and invention, and for the focus of this particular blog: how these precious values are reflected through the architectural realizations of the country called the “New World”. In my humble perception, something has gotten lost in translation. Are we slipping, losing it?

This much delayed episode comes to you all the way from China, where I am now, invited here as a Professor & KoGuan Chair of Digital Arts & Design @ Peking University, known as the highest rated academic learning institution of China. Given many tunings I find myself undergoing as a result of this uproot, I trust that those who read my blog, and mostly those who miss it, will forgive the resulting delay. I am certain that such has been even tougher on me than on those back in their familiar settings. And now to the theme of this blog.

History has proven that humans are aggressive, domineering creatures who find it not just challenging but rather impossible to live in a lasting, peaceful and fulfilling coexistence. Our narrative vividly illustrate how every 30 years, more or less, the various political or religious factions or nations or other forms of social collectives, casts, diverse or competing interests, or corporations or conglomerates, end up engaging in hostile discourses, even subversive and adverse takeovers or traditional wars, whether military or not, with either their oppositions or competitor or neighbor or minor countries under adversary's sway.

Spending time, living in and discovering a foreign country is exciting and enlightening to me. But rich life requires contrasts. Without such, we cannot appreciate diversity of our world. In my belief, life without contrasts, good and bad, is dull, restrictive and narrow in exposure, perspectives, understanding, and open mindedness. All such are crucial to cultivating tolerance and respect for contrasting ways of live, thinking, ideas and beliefs.

And so, on this particular occasion returning to the “New World” proved to be more of a sobering experience than usual. As you read on, you will realize that it actually tested and contested my own tolerance and open mindedness.

When invited to become a AWN expert blogger, my instantaneous reaction was - “why me?”

“I think you are perfect for the medium.  You are passionate about what you do, opinionated about what you care about and not afraid to express yourself. “ – was the offered answer.

Over the next days I reflected on my initial question. Does my life represent a role model for others? While there are many who have grown deep roots, achieved stability, accrued property and wellbeing, I am a product of a broken family, which I held against my father for the rest of his life. But then, like he, I caused a crushing of my own. And thus my life turned out to be an emotional, spiritual, intellectual and physical roller coaster. I love, some, roller coasters, but yet there are many who fear it or throw up on it.

From the initiation to this world, I have carried on the tradition of my ancestors, who wandered the desert for 40 years before finding the Promised Land. Yet after an extensive career, traveling to opposite ends of the world, living there, I am still at it. How twisted is that? Where is my Land of Milk and Honey? And this is not because I have not been trying hard. There are those who deem me to too passionate, too driven, too persistent, too motivated, too…. So, what does that say about me, how does it reflect on me? This I ask of myself, and so do certain others who questioning my impetuses and, at times, sanity.

Upon awakening I started to walk around the house within which I just became a visitor. Thus I came across this amazing sculptured scene contained within a small, simple box. As I swung open its flimsy doors, it unveiled to me an astoundingly fantastical realm hidden within its tiny confinements. Its thoughtfully choreographed scene bloomed with magical stories exploding with imagination and fantasy. It rightly took my breath away.

As I gazed into this enchanted world of an unknown to me artist, my mind immediately flooded with impressions of stories being spun by the horny “blue” goat seated amongst the two females, all behind a table set for what looked, one could almost smell it, like an irresistibly delicious feast, just about to begin. And so, as the ladies began to pour drinks and serve delicacies, I, as an expected visitor from outside, felt graciously invited. And thus totally transposed into my imaginary mind, I left my large clumsy human body behind to join the magical gathering within the tiny wooden boxed world of infinite possibilities.

    

"Are you insane?” "Have you lost your mind?" "Are you not afraid?" "Don't you realize this is the worse time to go there?" This is just a sampling of the polite examples of reactions and comments my plans for a trip to Japan had triggered. And yet, based on my own life’s journey, I understood early on that, sometimes the worse time could be the best, the most raw, sincere, revealing and insightful.

As a father, I have always taught my daughters “you can not live in fear”, oh yes, and also “don’t let boys push you around”. Anyway, fear can be restrictive, even paralyzing. After 9/11 happened, I was asked to fly to Asia. Always eager and to travel and explore, I was thrilled to accept. My daughters panicked. "Please don't go", "what if something happens to you", "we love you". I never doubt their love for me. But how can I live in fear. What kind of an example would I be setting for them if I let it paralyze me by sacrificing my own aspirations in life? After all, we live once, at least in my belief. I do realize there are those who differ with these beliefs. An that is just fine, in fact it is great! How boring our humanity would be if we all thought, believed, acted and reacted in the same manner? Imagine that.

Once upon a time, a long, long time ago, it was 1985 in fact, the SIGGRAPH Electronic Theater thrilled me by selecting “Nick Brew”, my first ever CGI animated project, for its eminent annual screening of the best of computer animation from around the world. For me it was a foreword to the world of 3d computer animation.

I do admit, technologies utilized today by computer animation are simply breathtaking. Prospect such powers unveil are truly arousing. They made me itch for the chance to harness them, to will them to accomplish my imaginative feats, make my dreams come true. The insanely realistic modeling, texturing, shading, lighting and rendering are truly astonishing. Synthetic actors, their dynamics, the gestures and facial expressions are almost life like. Today it takes an experienced eye to differentiate a synthetic actor from a real live one. It is amazing. It's a genuine achievement. So what is wrong with this?

    

As I reflected in my previous blog, Japanese are true perfectionists, in all they do. Thus, when it comes to political correctness, over centuries, and elected isolation from the external world, they turned it into an art form, a nature, but at what cost?

Bowing projects a wonderfully charming sense of politeness and respect, but it does not end on just one bow, it goes on, and on. It is very carefully and skillfully choreographed and, as such, not spontaneous. It is the repetitious aspect of this custom, at least to a “greenhorn” that feels over the top, too stringent, too restrictive and, after some time, even seemingly forced. Then, such a mutual need to project this respect appears programed and artificial. It feels like it could be restrictive to any spontaneous yet meaningful substance or observation resulting in deeper interaction and more intellectual, dare I say, intercourse? And having seen some striking, incredibly sensuous and very delicate Kamasutra, while upholding delicacy and refinement, Japanese people can be very explicit.