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# Leilei Xia
Animator, filmmaker, tactile artist
<p class="note">
</p>
---
<iframe width="720" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ry_FKih84iM?si=eE1rrDZeq5C06vsv" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<p class="note">
This semester I was trying to make a documentary film, but I was unsatisfied with how premiere works, so I wrote own editing software, which basically allow you to use flowchart to connect concanate videos. It just ended up in another big side project that I did not expect.
</p>
----
<img src="https://picx.zhimg.com/70/v2-0d4bc2aaa80f37bb28539da567c14881_1440w.awebp?source=172ae18b&biz_tag=Post" alt="" />
为了这盘醋包了这顿饺子
Made the dumplings for the vinegar
<p class="note">
We call this kind of action "为了这盘醋包了这顿饺子", which means Made the dumplings for the vinegar. -- make a big project just out of some small, trivial and peripheral reason. This kind of situation happens a lot in my life
</p>
---
<img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1069662605985190002/1072317375560560741/IMG_5652.PNG?ex=6580e7e1&is=656e72e1&hm=ee4f5d690ca9c4c1abe5cd9bfd465cbb50fa44dda5841342f59a503f2e63495c&=&format=webp&quality=lossless&width=1978&height=1112" width="60%"/>
*Scar* Leilei Xia, 2019
<p class="note">
As I said, I am an animator and filmmaker, and a lot of my works were trying to convey embodied feelings and experiences through moving images.
Two years ago, I suddenly had this panic realization, that if I’m blind, it would be hard to make visual arts.
Well, I can make sculpture, music, but out of so many art forms, animation would be the most inaccessible one for me—it’s just on a plain screen! how am I gonna playback my films?
</p>
----
## Tactile Cinema
<img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1069687149659693086/1069687493806542849/2021.7.jpg?ex=6580911c&is=656e1c1c&hm=9d81130316115ad6de2a77c908a5fd3268219d686a5970d4fda079061bccaa57&=&format=webp&width=1978&height=1088" width="60%"/>
<p class="note">
In order to prevent me from losing my career if I go blind, I started making Tactile Cinema, which is a form of storytelling that use material, gestures and touch of the audience to convey scenes and feelings.
</p>
----
### Nezha Conquers the Dragon King
2020, Leilei Xia
<iframe width="720" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6N4lerMQaS4?si=TOTEZkuM4c0-6z1n" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<p class="note">
This is my first tactile cinema piece called 《Nezha Conquers the Dragon King》.It's adapted from a Chinese Animated Film, which itself is adapted from a Chinese folklore about a boy called Nezha trying to fight against the Dragon King as well as the fedual control of his body.
What you will see is a short excerpt, in which the person in the middle is the audience, blindfolded, wearing headphones that is playing the audio that you will hear from the video. The two of us from the side are the "cinema" that is giving the actual experience.
</p>
----
<p class="note">
although I originally was just trying to translate the animation into touch, this piece has become so different and even more interesting than the original visual effect that I tried to emulate.
The blowing ballon represents the entense and enlonged process of pregnancy, and the big paper bag, water spray and hair dryer represents the wind and storm.
sometimes your body becomes the landscape that the dragon fly around, and sometimes you embody the character to take on the mission of adventure.
</p>
<img src="https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1069687149659693086/1087212145667739648/ezgif.com-gif-maker.gif?ex=657fb8b6&is=656d43b6&hm=567547c5416f1c6c900cf9c2eba0ed8eae4bd64bd2c99b4851fc8a8e8e72da2b&" height="250" />
<img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1069687149659693086/1082737008977387580/acfa6cfecf41e86a.gif?ex=6581e5eb&is=656f70eb&hm=ff4749157a6b4a0c51360eefc6a5126dd3b00e786ed453134c3ffa724d0714c2&=&width=854&height=480" alt="" />
<br>
<img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1069687149659693086/1082737006473379930/bb99fa0d85aa3a82.gif?ex=6581e5ea&is=656f70ea&hm=65f77441808cfef5b56ffff493ad2a338a8947ecb1fe6c99b436281c63bd6f57&=&width=854&height=480"/>
<img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1069687149659693086/1082737008511815731/4b92cc16c77e2dd5.gif?ex=6581e5eb&is=656f70eb&hm=f4fb0fe8ad79eb3bfe669bc505a0d1c8197f269a3b061e5d74f4c0fc8a861d01&=&width=854&height=480" alt="" />
----
<p class="note">
although originally premiered in an animation festival, tactile cinema has been exhibited and performed in a lot more different places. I also gradually become interested in exploring tactile art itself as an individual discipline.
</p>
<img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1069687149659693086/1069687985571909733/Screen_Shot_2020-12-12_at_9.01.44_PM.png?ex=65809191&is=656e1c91&hm=f4058906e33cb6ac481b44117a17d0c0f178797b01ed8e3882f899cce707441f&=&format=webp&quality=lossless&width=1978&height=1112" height="300"/>
<img src="https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1069822447991410810/1069823642273337364/IMG_2216.jpeg" height="300"/>
<br>
<img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1069687149659693086/1069688037702897755/IMG_9456.jpeg?ex=6580919e&is=656e1c9e&hm=3244295ce776caece7acc243877ae0b0eadae5926c8963d7bbede6b16a4a215b&=&format=webp&width=1792&height=1296" height="300"/>
<img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1069687149659693086/1171509708792811661/Screenshot_2023-06-08_at_5.32.47_PM.png?ex=6581da70&is=656f6570&hm=d3965ad885066ab7395c31aac4bce832684890f3a19b52aba7589a7bb544c865&=&format=webp&quality=lossless&width=1342&height=1296" height="300"/>
---
<p class="note">
As you have noticed I used a lot of props, and I started getting tired as I do more and more tactile performances. I just don't want to carry so much shit to places. so I started wondering--is there ways that I could bring tactile experiences, even without and material?
</p>
<img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1069687149659693086/1071649801483067392/tools.jpg?ex=6587b4a6&is=65753fa6&hm=15e3a2cbecc2f4a223a7d4eac61cbbdd7e8af604d17754c296e347d8c4ad6f58&=&format=webp&width=1818&height=1296" alt="tools" width="50%"/>
----
<p class="note">
An idea comes when I was watching Burning
</p>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/456ZpoRaRWI?si=lB7JD_G4NkqJjv3c&start=5" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
⬆️Burning Lee Chang-dong
----
### Mime: looks like touching
### In reverse: What about <span style="color:pink">*"feels"*</span> like touching?
----
<p class="note">
doing workshop with y graduate cohort
online workshop in a collective that I will talk about
1. invisible sculptures are fantastic, because they can be unrealistic
2. some method of how to let people to quickly get into the zone.
but evey workshop can only contain so many people. I want it to be even more convenient.
now I don't even need material, how about they don't even need me? I don't even need to travel to the place, people could just watch the tutorial and do it!
</p>
<img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1107698002375745537/1120631402170417152/640.png?ex=65815452&is=656edf52&hm=06cf5b6a7d062f880696a2141399cec26e044ed9418ca9dcc293f01350b7d243&=&format=webp&quality=lossless&width=1978&height=1110" height="300"/>
<img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1107698002375745537/1120631922167652372/640.png?ex=658154ce&is=656edfce&hm=096735df0a3e37be06286f3fecbb7378a290fe675e77554477a9e94eba3be34c&=&format=webp&quality=lossless&width=1978&height=558"/>
----
<p class="note">
I've been always fascinated with tutorial videos. It's useful, and bring community together.
but I also don't want to just make a tutorial, I want to still make the tutorial a moving-image piece.
I was inspired by conspiracy of plasure, in which basically characters are making all kinds of sex toy. It shows the process but also has a story of it.
</p>
<img src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71VLoWbuFTL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="400"/>
Jan Svankmajer
[Conspiracy of Pleasure](https://youtu.be/IQz6mEDOw88?si=65BKOpU0ygyOuZVP&t=210)
----
<p class="note">
So I started to look for inspiration of stories:
1. Emperors's new clothes.
swindle to believe clothes invisible to ignorant.
Flip--> the most beautiful clothes is not about expensive materials, but about your inner believe. even without your treasure, you could still be the the "emperor".
2. Śūraṅgama Sūtra, the first Buddism classic that went into China:
a. found similar statement of rubbing hand
b. original is about everything else being not real
c. instead I would say: because we can feel unreal feelings, why not make real art out of unreal materials.
3. Monk + children's story = 从前有座山
</p>
<img src="https://pvb-product-images.s3.amazonaws.com/read_online/TR46/TR46-1.jpg" width="200"/>
<img src="https://i2.kknews.cc/G2-iHUcE1-fF_FPEAIWNfZu3_YGOYJkySsISNKoK668/0.jpg" height="300"/>
<img src="https://5b0988e595225.cdn.sohucs.com/q_70,c_zoom,w_640/images/20180217/584d948abbca4eba9e1d0ad9633099b3.jpeg" width="300"/>
<br>
<span style="font-size:20px;margin:0;padding:0">
references:<br>
↖︎The Emperor's New Cloth<br> ↗︎ Śūraṅgama Sūtra <br>
⬆️ Chinese Loop Folk Story of the Monks in the mountain
</span><br>
----
<img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1126684424721932338/1131437465635401808/triology_midjourney_chalk_pastel_color_graphite_blending_togeth_044b3ae1-e2f6-493f-995e-397a9b370db7.png?ex=6583ba40&is=65714540&hm=f973ad90c8d0a9ed4193646724bb75873ab7fb8a5d63dea49744bcf5b18f3c44&=&format=webp&quality=lossless&width=976&height=1296" width="50%" />
<p class="note">
In fact, the Essence of palace:
1.during that time I was doing empty touch everyday
2. suffering from long distance relationship and homesick
3. realize that empty touch is not about real thing being not real, but about when we have something, we need to cherish it, because we know it's not gonna be there forever. when I don't have it, we also don't anxious, because nothing the touch is still there even without the entity.
</p>
----
<img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1107698002375745537/1183505627964768346/With_Credit_masked_tatoo-0001.png?ex=65889482&is=65761f82&hm=0130f84dc4b04cd852d9c305f59c0613648915c96be05bb2039abd0023ec6157&=&format=webp&quality=lossless&width=1978&height=1112" width="70%"/>
The Monk
<p class="note">
The monk only says Chinese
</p>
----
<img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1107698002375745537/1183505812124082418/With_Credit_masked_tatoo-0003.png?ex=658894ae&is=65761fae&hm=e2c3856af11a998c1e1a5afaccc7d9af7fff8b4ac7e4f5728293e10235df192d&=&format=webp&quality=lossless&width=1978&height=1112" width="70%"/>
The Emperor
<p class="note">
The emperor only says English
</p>
----
## The Palace
2022, Leilei Xia, Two Channel Video Installtion
<iframe width="1280" height="720" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WBfVyGNB0RY?si=e-nTeXIaHMZdCdsp" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<p class="note">
They meet in an abandoned place, called the Palace, whether it is a temple palace or royal palace. The Monk tell a story to the Emperor, about an the Monk meeting an Emperor who showed them an invisible clothes. in return, the Monk built an invisible Palace, in which the Emperor meet the Monk they meet in the beginning.
</p>
----
<p>
</p>
<img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1107698002375745537/1107699817607614474/DSC00338.jpg?ex=65806d58&is=656df858&hm=31e4d73fadc3c312a5999879649e77431b6eea7668904b35dc79ea8162f1ee35&=&format=webp&width=1944&height=1296" width="80%" style="top:0;margin:0"/>
----
<div style="width: 100%; overflow: hidden;">
<img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1069686543125598278/1107698001754992761/DSC00105.jpg?ex=65806ba7&is=656df6a7&hm=977bb4dfd41b83213bf0e7298dd2520bb53a728c90a59ed5c20a546769d02711&=&format=webp&width=1942&height=1296" class="left" />
<img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1107698002375745537/1120633612027572264/IMG_7227.jpg?ex=65815661&is=656ee161&hm=16f7c88bdc1ac7c54d0549f8337999b71bbf3986692cb3ceba8d8b9d88599304&=&format=webp&width=1728&height=1296" class="right" />
</div>
----
<img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1107698002375745537/1107699870795571390/DSC09986-2.jpg?ex=65806d65&is=656df865&hm=1419ccb55d7ba7854e94ba4b729174c8d12bb7234bec68aaf4580821e1dfb49d&=&format=webp&width=1826&height=1296" class="left"/>
<img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1107698002375745537/1107698096940531742/DSC00047.jpg?ex=65806bbe&is=656df6be&hm=66087b98837244db6240c854219fa2ccce58647a2975119d750068a766e6b34f&=&format=webp&width=1944&height=1296" class="right"/>
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<img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1107698002375745537/1107699873245048913/DSC09992.jpg?ex=65806d65&is=656df865&hm=804bdb92df1660739f517b2d448bf376a14e6908f3dbc1720ad02b0c37f7bdad&=&format=webp&width=1944&height=1296" class="left"/>
<img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1107698002375745537/1107699836305817652/DSC00344.jpg?ex=65806d5d&is=656df85d&hm=acde58559db85c84802e48bceea232b1c000b3ebd8224733ea844f4a43539f10&=&format=webp&width=1944&height=1296" class="right"/>
----
<img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1107698002375745537/1107698058671689789/DSC00037.jpg?ex=65806bb5&is=656df6b5&hm=2bab21032cde6e717139d7ea2f35482cfc8f16dc4a960820215813d4805e0845&=&format=webp&width=1694&height=1296" alt="" class="left">
<img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1107698002375745537/1107699751396311140/DSC00301-min.jpg?ex=6589a7c8&is=657732c8&hm=35fd825346d7cb1bbb15ca15229c6d189e6d005e9e2664eb3c9b2415e6ecfbdc&=&format=webp&width=1944&height=1296" class="right"/>
----
## Empty Touch
2022, Leilei Xia, workshops
<img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1107698002375745537/1120630631433502811/C0203-0002.jpg?ex=6581539a&is=656ede9a&hm=f9fbbdbff8cf37f6b34dec5caa338fca63f3db3e2eac0624f4349b65ac3e806a&=&format=webp&width=1978&height=1112" class="left" />
<img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1107698002375745537/1128555183257964604/R0001293.jpg?ex=6582786b&is=6570036b&hm=4c91cc275c78ec4312cc6b90421eee3bcccb011b872d3bd91375a6776207fc02&=&format=webp&width=1728&height=1296" class="right"/>
----
<img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1107698002375745537/1128555182431686696/R0001257.jpg?ex=6582786b&is=6570036b&hm=4701ffc8a9be74463f71546c560e2ba4b07158c9957d9f86cac864b1c02e750a&=&format=webp&width=1734&height=1296" class="left"/>
<img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1107698002375745537/1128555179235606578/R0001162.jpg?ex=6582786a&is=6570036a&hm=360bf636036322602579c1f41fb4693738a0fa43fd7552133efbdab7d4bd1270&=&format=webp&width=1956&height=1296" class="right"/>
----
<img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1107698002375745537/1141572611512483930/IMG_8967.JPG?ex=6583af57&is=65713a57&hm=b31f55308164e866c282afc21702647007110987ae33181c454b1a3421781003&=&format=webp&width=1728&height=1296" class="left"/>
<img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1107698002375745537/1122469131451645963/IMG_8640.jpg?ex=658803d7&is=65758ed7&hm=970216b63906ba1b81178ecd35dfff74e9d2906ffe25236ab23f67b4437b892b&=&format=webp&width=1728&height=1296" class="right"/>
---
## Tactileye
<img src="https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1073069076253003901/1160429391562674258/tactileye.png?ex=6587af96&is=65753a96&hm=5f5d0e3beedd0450fea057583c1f5e71437403419f55f9f22dc735ce7ebf03e0&" width="30%"/>
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<img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1073069076253003901/1183528540461862922/Screenshot_2023-12-10_at_4.59.48_PM.png?ex=6588a9d8&is=657634d8&hm=e87c4f343218210c428661f7c72cf4b89457b51a1946ee05a55dd88fd5ae4ad0&=&format=webp&quality=lossless&width=660&height=1296" width="20%"/>
<img src="https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1183528540776448021/1183529739420438598/Screenshot_2023-12-10_at_5.04.32_PM.png?ex=6588aaf6&is=657635f6&hm=618d291ec0b80a0fbbe456cef8788a3ec0a80dc35a1d4e8bf348b5a4054b8951&" width="30%"/>
<img src="https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1183528540776448021/1183531393301631116/Screenshot_2023-12-10_at_5.11.09_PM.png?ex=6588ac81&is=65763781&hm=490a5dd4f726cfd874a06d279161aaeccf8de6929f3da6732e759cee949204fb&" width="30%"/>
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<img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1069822447991410810/1069823706467147828/IMG_2230.jpeg?ex=65810ff7&is=656e9af7&hm=9e6162910f6d6a1e6e0addf0e0dc494672b035729a3a8f5d62fa8d23b51a9e3a&=&format=webp&width=1728&height=1296" class="left"/>
<img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1069828315927556127/1069828470693179512/WechatIMG171.jpeg?ex=65811467&is=656e9f67&hm=3acd583a3b9fcc81ffe8e88390f66d2717a84721d211bcdd239bd48fb7d73367&=&format=webp&width=1944&height=1296" class="right"/>
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<img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1079515601774583808/1079515746813612082/DSC06433.jpg?ex=6588a2e2&is=65762de2&hm=00ababbf846b6dc05da96e53193b247e656b1f2efc69dde180d53762c06dd097&=&format=webp&width=1944&height=1296" class="left"/>
<img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1069659516519600218/1069661054231126046/P1120078.JPG?ex=6580787c&is=656e037c&hm=77636a0b64918f52ec730e8bdda83778616ffcb344fe8f525fbf9d1dd04720fa&=&format=webp&width=1726&height=1296" class="right"/>
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<img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1183544306166943786/1183545991266316398/June-Added_VR_Scene_Who_Are_You-0001.png?ex=6588ba19&is=65764519&hm=2c7a6a5f14c087378d364dbb7e196f1136a6659ff2355b15b7a15184f41abad9&=&format=webp&quality=lossless&width=1978&height=1112" class="right"/>
<img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1183544306166943786/1183546443462615111/Feature_Edit_RoughRough-0005.png?ex=6588ba85&is=65764585&hm=7f14b109720077618a74c7cbd0c0b8ee98a2d2fbe15a409830220911986dd196&=&format=webp&quality=lossless&width=1978&height=1112" class="left"/>
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<img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1183544306166943786/1183544463017123931/Welcome_to_Ulati_World.png?ex=6588b8ad&is=657643ad&hm=fecd56411bb6d11518a03eb22e3c046f781f9c418e357365d58b415d0fd9f364&=&format=webp&quality=lossless&width=1978&height=1112" class="left"/>
<img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1183544306166943786/1183544460689285130/The_Lonely_People_Village.png?ex=6588b8ac&is=657643ac&hm=54b9f3014aea16c73cd061f40f89d6f3c2758e2fa6234eb5ce50758f9c28f4ba&=&format=webp&quality=lossless&width=1978&height=1112" class="right"/>
---
<img src="https://5b0988e595225.cdn.sohucs.com/q_70,c_zoom,w_640/images/20171230/05bafc16a43b41d2a5e3a701d6427e66.jpg" width="50%"/>
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<img src="https://www.mrspskitchen.net/wp-content/uploads/TDP0499-1.jpg" alt="dumplings" height="400"/>
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<img src="https://image.cache.storm.mg/styles/smg-800x533-fp/s3/media/image/2023/05/10/20230510-111123_U21510_M852194_46cd.jpg?itok=SE7bPzI0" width="50%"/>
<img src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSxP0pQyTpOKjy0UH-ZXf0pgvKoD8ggg2Wz6g&usqp=CAU" width="30%"/>
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<img src="https://i2.chuimg.com/637750cc2cf211e7bc9d0242ac110002_720w_1280h.jpg?imageView2/1/w/640/h/520/q/75/format/jpg" width="40%"/>
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<img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1069655618220216412/1183548820462768211/Screenshot_2023-12-10_at_6.20.22_PM.png?ex=6588bcbc&is=657647bc&hm=751d42ef634d350a635952a58270d6e46745a636217de43a81406eb02ad99eea&=&format=webp&quality=lossless&width=1898&height=1296" class="left"/>
<img src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/16347/production/_122915909_20210211_180022.jpg" class="right"/>
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## Thank you 谢谢
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