Kwon Hayoun (1981-) is a film director and media artist who explores historical and personal memories, fact and fiction, and territories and boundaries through 3D animation and virtual reality. Bird Lady is a piece that reconstructs the artist’s memories of her drawing instructor, Daniel. Daniel told the artist of his experiences in his youth. His work involved visiting 16th century buildings, taking measurements, and drafting layouts. During that time, he became fascinated with a house where there was a collection of all manner of birds. Kwon recreated this fairy-tale-like story in 3D animation, so that visitors could experience it in virtual reality. When visitors put on the headset, a lavish European mansion appears before them in virtual reality. When they walk up the stairs and enter through the door, they are treated to the site of all manner of colorful birds sitting in or flying around bird cages. The virtual reality experience unfolds differently depending on the trajectory of the visitor, and the fantasy-like images and Daniels narration in the video blur the lines between fact or fiction in this memory.
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