XR Obsession is an award winning project of the 10th edition of NY Independent Cinema Awards in the composer category. The project is an extended reality live performance integrating augmented, virtual, and mixed realities to mesmerize the audience (XR =AR+VR+MR). It is a performing, conceptual, kinetic, digital, video, abstract, and performance art. It vividly traverses Taiwan history, art, and natural beauty through time and space. The beautiful ancient landscape paintings of Houei-Kuen Chen are brought to life. Dynamic volumetric capture fuses with 3D animation. A live performance blends with AR/VR realms and is projected on a large LED wall for all to enjoy a new exciting immersive XR experiences.
During Japanese rule (WWII), Sayion's (17yr old TW Austronesian girl) death was manipulated and glorified with songs, paintings and movies to promote patriotism. Decades later, Keh-Hsiao Lin (Taishin Holdings GM), obsessed with her mystery, investigated and published a book. He later died at the forbidden mountain trail near her accident.
The book is the seed and DNA that inspired me. Like a black whole, I was drawn to compose music and to create new art for my muse, Sayion. The beauty of performing art is its dynamic live nature, making each performance unique. In XR Obsession, the viewers are also the participants, adding a new fun and surprise factor.
The journey in curiosity, imagination, and adventure are what we delivered. On top of that, we provided a musical alternate reality experience without the need for AR/VR headsets. Through music and art, legendary tales are told and phenomenal scenery comes alive. The goal is to promote Taiwan through fun, educational and meaningful interactive art. Pairing and synching music to an animated art film, incorporating AR/VR realms and to debut it in a live performance was a fulfilling challenge.
Chia-Hui Lu is a passionate artist and an active participant in Taiwan’s art world. She is a pioneer in Taiwan’s cross art scene, a composer, a music director, and a renowned concert pianist. As a Chairwoman of the Egret Foundation, Ms. Lu continues on the organization’s 27 year tradition in promoting music and culture in Taiwan. Ms. Lu published per piano albums “Enchanted” in 2013 and “Amore” in 2016. In cross arts, She was the Executive Music Director for “Sayion I” in 2015 and “Sayion II” in 2018, where she composed music that was used in the Interactive New Media Theater. In these two productions, she worked with 720-degree VR positioning and 3D real-time motion-capture systems. In 2016, she was also the Executive Music Director for the Interactive Children’s Theater’s “Milly and the Butterfly Fish’s Fantasy Journey”. In 2017, She performed a piano recital, “Water on Fire”, combining western classical music with eastern poetry from a Taiwan poet, Goya Lan. In 2019, She curated “Impression of Taiwan” for Art Taipei. It featured ceramic artworks, creative and cultural products, publications, New Media Interactive Theater presentations and music/visual performances. She also produced and debuted XR “Obsession” at Art Taipei, which combines live performance with music and dance in an extended reality 4DViews volumetric capture new media experience. As the producer and art director for “Amore”, a classical repertoire, She used Paul Chiang’s paintings, transforming it into an animated 3D visual that was synched precisely to her music. She was invited to perform a multimedia version of “Butterfly Orchid” at the opening ceremony of Art Taipei 2020. Ms. Lu curated the Sacred Garden as a partner of the international Ars Electronica Festival 2021
Regarding awards and mentions, in 2021, "XR Obsession" won a DNA Paris Design award and a Muse Creative Awards Gold in Interaction. "Impression of Taiwan" received an honorary mention at the DNA Paris Design, won a German Innovative Architecture Iconic Award in the Communication category and a Muse Design Awards Silver in Exhibition & Events. “Amore” received the Muse Creative Awards Silver in Concept Design. "Butterfly Orchid” won four awards: (1) Honorable Mention for Sound Design at the Los Angeles Film Awards, (2) Best Female Composer at the Toronto Women Film Festival, (3) Best Animation Award, Best Music Video Award, and Best Song Award at the New York Film Awards, and (4) Media & Music Silver Award from the Muse Creative Awards. Ms. Lu is a Professor at the National Taiwan University of Arts and also teaches at her alma mater, the High School of National Taiwan Normal University. She is an accomplished book author and a magazine music critic. Ms. Lu is an alumna of the Manhattan School of Music and has studied with world renowned maestros throughout the world. Ms. Lu is known for her inspirational and deeply emotional performances. She is also a first prize winner of Taipei City Piano Competition and winner of Artists International’s Young Artists Award in New York City. Notable concerts that Ms. Lu performed at include: Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, and Taiwan National Concert Hall, among others.
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