Emotion Protocol Instalasi Kinétik by Zhenglong Yang

Emotion Protocol Instalasi Kinétik by Zhenglong Yang is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 A' Design Award Beusi in Instalasi Competition Category.

BeusiInstalasi· 2025

Emotion Protocol Instalasi Kinétik

by Zhenglong Yang

A' Design Award Beusi Winner in Instalasi Category

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Verified Award Winner

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The Design

About Emotion Protocol Instalasi Kinétik

Protokol Émosi mangrupa instalasi kinétik anu nampilkeun sababaraha sirah Buddha opat beungeut anu dipasang dina mékanisme puteran. Unggal sirah, anu diideuan tina arca Buddha tradisional, dilengkepan ku motor anu ngamungkinkeun éta muter dina pola anu geus diprogram. Gerak sirah-sirah anu disinkronkeun ngahasilkeun tampilan visual anu dinamis, nyorotkeun kontras antara wangun tradisional jeung mékanika modéren.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Beusi

Emotion Protocol Instalasi Kinétik mangrupa juara A' Design Award Beusi, pangakuan anu bergengsi anu dipasihkeun ka desain alus anu minuhan sarat profésional jeung industri anu diharepkeun tina kréasi anu dirarancang alus. Para juara Beusi nunjukkeun kaahlian anu hébat, spésialisasi anu luhur, pamahaman ahli jeung kamampuh kréatif para kréatorna. Emotion Protocol Instalasi Kinétik diharepkeun jadi kréasi anu dihargaan, dikagumi jeung dipikanyaah anu praktis jeung inovatif. Desain juara A' Design Award Beusi ieu ngalebetkeun prakték pangalusna industri sarta ngabogaan ciri téknis anu mampuh pakait jeung pangweruh praktis jeung bakat. Emotion Protocol Instalasi Kinétik dihormat pikeun katelitianana sarta dirarancang pikeun méré paningkatan kualitas hirup anu mantuan ngajadikeun dunya tempat nu leuwih hadé.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: "Emotion Protocol" juxtaposes human nature's emotional complexity with the rigid, machine-like existence imposed by societal and familial expectations. The installation represents this contrast through rotating four-faced Buddha statues driven by a mechanical system.
Dimensions & Packaging: 457.2(W), 457.2(D), 1100(H) cm
Tags: Kinetic, Installation, Buddhism, Four-face Buddha, Emotion
Production Technology: This project features 3D-printed Buddha heads crafted in resin, CNC-milled acrylic pedestals for elegant structural support, and a customized PCB(printed circuit board) for precise control of stepper motors. The algorithm, programmed and integrated into the control system, orchestrates the kinetic movements, embodying emotional narratives. Leveraging physical computing, the design merges technology and artistry, ensuring a seamless integration of hardware and conceptual intent.
Design Challenge: The biggest challenge was balancing the symbolic depth of the four-faced Buddha with the mechanical precision of the installation. Integrating spiritual iconography into a technological framework required extensive research into cultural narratives and emotional theory. Technical hurdles included designing custom PCBs and achieving seamless motor synchronization for dynamic storytelling. Limited resources for advanced fabrication and algorithm testing added complexity, pushing innovation in blending tradition with modern design methodologies.
Research: The four-faced Buddha symbolizes the interconnectedness of human emotions—joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness. In this work, the rotating faces represent shifting emotional states, blending ancient philosophies with modern discussions on emotional suppression, societal expectations, and mechanized behavior. This reinterpretation highlights the universality of emotions, encouraging viewers to reflect on their own emotional landscapes.
Inspiration: Inspired by the Chinese saying "joy, anger, sadness, happiness," which poetically represents human emotions, and the Buddhist four-faced Buddha statues, this piece fuses traditional symbolism with programmed mechanisms. It reflects the tension between humanity's rich emotional landscape and the societal pressures, particularly in East Asian cultures, to suppress and eliminate subjective emotions. This conflict pushes individuals into a mechanized existence, where they become tiny parts of a vast collective machine, bound by rules and protocols to meet the expectations of family and society.
Project Duration: The project started in September 2024 in New York and finished in December 2024 in New York, and was exhibited in RacketNYC in December 2024.
Operation Flow: This project invites viewers to observe rotating Buddha heads, each with four faces representing different emotions. The heads rotate in pre-programmed patterns, symbolizing shifting emotional states. The interaction is passive yet thought-provoking, viewers reflect on the emotions represented. The synchronized motion creates a mesmerizing flow, highlighting the tension between human feelings and mechanical precision, making it uniquely engaging and impactful.
Image Credits: Photo credits: Audrey Chou