STORY of Wayfarer Series

Wayfarer Series is an immersive audio/visual experience that depict an adventure alongside the AI-generated being named after a legendary Chinese mythical creature: Tiangou (天狗）. 

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Tiangou embodies dual natures, representing duality of benevolence and malevolence. In its positive interpretation, Tiangou assumes the form of a dog, having evolved from an astrological constellation, and stands as a guardian of world peace and tranquility. Conversely, in its negative portrayal, Tiangou is the entity that devours the moon, casting darkness and shadows upon the world while destroying the full moon's brilliance.

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In this audio-visual journey, we reimagine the enigmatic creature, Tiangou, as a symbolic representation of both curiosity and fear of the unknown, viewed through the prism of Artificial Intelligence. Leveraging the rich tapestry of Chines folklore, particularly drawing from sources of the Classic of Mountains and Seas, we have trained a system that conjures novel iterations of these mythical beasts. These newly envisioned creatures are born from the ancient imaginations of our forebears, dating back nearly 4000 years, as they sought to comprehend their connection with nature and the intricate cosmic and astrological power structures.

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The show invites the audience on a voyage alongside Tiangou, an AI-generated creature that initially appears as a fleeting star and continuously metamorphoses in an array of shapes and materials. Tiangou's evolution is driven by an insatiable curiosity, propelling it through an imagined realm in search of disrupting peace and fullness. The journey culminates with Tiangou devouring the moon, ultimately transforming itself into the new moon.

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In this work, ancient Asian creatures and symbols are reassembled through the transformative lens of AI and generative art. This mesmerizing adventure portrays our perceptions of the unknown and our coexistence with machines, combining curiosity and fear, delving into a poetic spectrum of new dualism.