Reference: CHOY001
Title: Liǎn
Date: 2021
Author: Jann Choy
Details: Biàn Liǎn (变脸) directly translates to “face changing”. The performer changes their face – a silk mask – with a sweep of the hand. This change signifies a shift in moods, while each face symbolises a different emotion.This parallels our online behaviours; we wear
many faces online and can change them at any moment.
Media: RaspberryPi Mask
Credit: Courtesy of the artist

Description: Liǎn is an experimental mask that explores the relationship between our online personas and offline selves. The concept and design are heavily inspired by Chinese face-changing opera art and online avatars. It merges my cultural tradition with modern technology.

Liǎn responds to your real-time online emotions using code and soft robotics. Sentiment analysis is performed on your online interactions. If you post, like or comment with something positive, it’ll return a positive score, inflating the part of the mask that represents
a positive front. Conversely, if it’s negative, it’ll inflate the corresponding area.

Liǎn doesn’t act as a criticism – rather, it’s an inquiry into our online manifestations.

Reference: CHOY005
Title: Liǎn [Process Images]
Date: 2021
Author: Jann Choy
Details: Process images of inflated masks.
Media: Image
Credit: Courtesy of the artist

Description: I was testing out which design I liked more, which worked more, and taking note of the iterations. These images encouraged me throughout my process and help me keep track of it and make decisions.

Reference: CHOY002
Title: Silicone Moulds
Date: 2021
Author: Jann Choy
Details: Lasercuts of moulds used to cast my silicone masks and tests and sketches of its designs.
Media: Tests
Credit: Courtesy of the artist

Description: This was an iterative process of designing,
fabrication and refining different designs to prototype and test how well they inflated and looked on the face. Each mask was made out of 3 silicone layers bonded together. I would cast the separate layers before sticking them together with a thin layer of silicone. Often my mask would not inflate equally, or it would burst, with chambers ripping to form one big air chamber. This could be due to uneven silicone thicknesses of a layer, designs that were too thin or other technical problems. Thus re-designing, testing, iterating, constantly tweaking and refining was essential to reach a final outcome I was happy with.

Some moulds I included in the delivery are early tests with soft robotics, such as the grippers just to see which silicone works best and the technicalities of soft robotics.

Reference: CHOY004
Title: Scalpel, Gloves, Screwdriver, Scissors, Mannequin, Balloon, Twitter
Date: NA
Author: NA
Details: Various Tools
Media: Tools and Social Media
Credit: Courtesy of the artist

Description: Screwdriver that helps me screw the connections to the wires tight. Scalpel for microsurgery on my masks. Mannequin to pin my silicone masks onto. Balloon to check if my code to inflate the balloons was working. A Twitter account to test if my tweet emotions
inflates the balloons. Gloves to not get my hands covered with silicone, but it happened nevertheless.

Reference: CHOY003
Title: Snow Crash
Date: 1992
Author: Neal Stephenson
Details: A book that first detailed Avatars in the digital realm and a VR internet verse called the Metaverse.
Media: Publication
Credit: wikipedia.org/Snow_Crash

Description: This book ignited my interest in online avatars and this metaphysical surreal world. Stephenson popularised the word avatar and is the reason we associate it as the visual representation of a person online.

Reference: CHOY006
Title: My Primary School Hall
Date: 2021
Author: Jann Choy
Details: Artist's school hall
Media: Photographs
Credit: Courtesy of the artist

Description: Liǎn is inspired by my culture. I really wanted my final project to be personal and inspired by home and the Chinese upbringing, urged on by my grandmother and parents who sent me to a Chinese primary school.

I grew up watching “Face Changing” Chinese Opera art being performed and my first time watching it was in my primary school hall during our annual students day celebration show. A girl, my senior, performed this beautiful face changing art and I was totally mesmerised by the artistry. This is especially since girls were traditionally not allowed to perform and learn the highly guarded secret of this art in fear of them leaking it to their other respective families. Thus to see a Chinese Malaysian young girl in primary school, perform it so well and making waves in the asian performance arts scene was inspiring. She became a hero of mine.