CITY AND SIGNS, HYPATIA

A novel section by Italo Calvino

Personally, I tried to build and render a model of the invisible cities in 2019. And this thorough recontact, I would like to use artistic techniques to reshape this city full of metaphors. In view of the fact that found that the selected city has a similar concept of surrealism, first investigated the expression of surrealism, and then conceived and sorted out the necessary elements and expressions of five scenes and sketched the scenes with sketches. After that, I used rhino modelling and Enscape rendering to build my set. My purpose is to explore the application of surrealism in set design, as an interdisciplinary study of architecture and theatre design.

Date: Aug.2021-- Sep.2021

This project selects the section named "City and Signs 4" in Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino, showing what Marco Polo saw and felt about the city named Hypatia he passed.

In this section, the author Italo has abstracted his thinking on the symbolization of modern cities into this allegorical city.

- Narrative Flow

Showing the sequence of Marco's exploration of the city.Unrealistic Combinations of human and environment displays the special relationship in visual shape or spirit.

- Waiting for a ship on the spire

- Addict occpying the library instead of philosopher

As the unique connection between humans and environment in Hypatia is similar as Surrealism Splicing the reality with the illusion of the subconscious surrealism could be used to conveys the concept and visual image of Hypatia. According to the three classifications of surrealist techniques to express multidivisional space I divided the reference images into three approaches.

- Project Aim

- Garden with dead people in the lake

- Prisoner occpying the palace instead of the royal family

When was looking for a language for the city, noticed that the symbol of the spiral is included in all aspects of nature and human activities, and can be used to explain the connection between humans and the environment.

As complex modern cities emphasizing function, citizens gradually lose their attention to nature. The author advocate citizens to get rid of the signs - realize the internal relationship between modern things and nature

Hypothetical and Dislocation Recombination,- Nature

Adding spiral trees, an eye with human limbs placed on the ground, showing the feeling of a surreal garden.With Marco’s exploration, the garden gradually changed its form hinting Marco's impression, from warm to horror.

Hypothetical and Dislocation Recombination - Human Civilization with an installation in Mobius ring as the palace. Cooperate with the palace ceiling showing vertically placed on the cyclorama, and the continous projection of the prisoners mining in the palace.

Dislocation and Replacement Recombination - Civilization and Nature

In addition to the Mobius ring installation, a Movable Octopus Device with bookshelves and books is also added as a library.

Hypothetical Reconstruction - Life Cycle

To link the tombstone and piano keys together, reflecting the concert in the cemetry Pianist jumps on the shadow of elongated keys to produce music.

Replacement Recombination - City and Signs

The spire in Marco's imagination is composed of spiral trees and stairs and leads to the Universe. As showing the impression of Hypatia.

THE OCTOPUS' TENTACLES

Costume Design

Imagining the figures of four actors appearing in five scenes, the traveler Marco appears in the form of a man in a backpack, drug addicts and philosophers are contrasted, with chaotic or definite spirals, and elements of piano and dance are shown in the musicians.

- Physical Model and Story Board

- SCENE 1: GARDEN WITH DEAD

Marco first came to the garden in Hypatia.

SCENE 1 ACT 2

After seeing the dead in the water, the romantic atmosphere became horror.

Marco came to the palace to look for the king to inquire

- SCENE 2: ENDLESS MINING PALACE

He only saw the projections of the mining prisoners moving around the Mobius ring repeatedly appearing and fading.

SCENE 3 ACT 2

And the Addict pointed to the grass outside and then told Marco the secret of the Hypatia.

- SCENE 4: CEMETERY CONCERT

- SCENE 5: LEAVING HYPATIA

SCENE 5 ACT 1

Marco imagined waiting for a spaceship at the spire when he was leaving.

Books combined with the octopus

SCENE 3 ACT 1

Marco came to the library to find the philosopher but saw that there was only a opium smoker sitting on the movable octopus.

Ask for the philosoper Books placed around the octopus' head

Front view

Shadow projected as piano keys

SCENE 4 ACT 1

Marco wanted to listen to music, so he came to the cemetery to find the pianist.