Emotion Protocol Ìgbékalẹ̀ Tí Ó Ní Ìrìnnà by Zhenglong Yang

Emotion Protocol Ìgbékalẹ̀ Tí Ó Ní Ìrìnnà by Zhenglong Yang is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Irin A' Design Award in Àpẹẹrẹ Ìgbékalẹ̀ Ìbáṣepọ̀, Ìrírí àti Ìbòmọ́lẹ̀ Competition Category.

IrinÌgbékalẹ̀· 2025

Emotion Protocol Ìgbékalẹ̀ Tí Ó Ní Ìrìnnà

by Zhenglong Yang

Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Irin A' Design Award Winner in Ìgbékalẹ̀ Category

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The Design

About Emotion Protocol Ìgbékalẹ̀ Tí Ó Ní Ìrìnnà

Emotion Protocol jẹ́ ìgbékalẹ̀ tí ó ní ìrìnnà tí ó ṣe afihan ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ àwọn orí Buddha oníjú-mẹ́rin tí a fi sórí àwọn ẹ̀rọ ayika. Orí kọ̀ọ̀kan, tí a gbà láti inú àwọn ère Buddha àtẹ̀yìnwá, ní mọ́tò kan tí ó fún un láyè láti yípo ní ìlànà tí a ṣètò. Ìrìnnà àjọṣepọ̀ àwọn orí náà ń ṣe afihan oju tí ó ní agbára, tí ó ń ṣàfihàn ìyàtọ̀ láàrin àwọn àpẹẹrẹ ìbílẹ̀ àti ẹ̀rọ ìgbàlódé.

The Recognition

About the Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Irin A' Design Award

Emotion Protocol Ìgbékalẹ̀ Tí Ó Ní Ìrìnnà jẹ́ olùborí Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Irin A' Design Award, ìdánimọ̀ olókìkí tí a fún àwọn àwòṣe tó dára tí wọ́n pàdé àwọn ohun tí iṣẹ́ àti ilé-iṣẹ́ nílò tí a retí láti ọ̀dọ̀ àwọn ẹ̀dá tí a ṣàwòṣe dáradára. Àwọn olùborí Irin ń fi ìjáfáfá ńlá, ìmọ̀ pàtó gíga, òye ògbóǹtarìgì àti agbára ìṣẹ̀dá àwọn olùṣẹ̀dá wọn hàn. A retí pé Emotion Protocol Ìgbékalẹ̀ Tí Ó Ní Ìrìnnà yóò jẹ́ ẹ̀dá tí a kà sí gidigidi, tí a gbóríyìn fún tí a sì nífẹ̀ẹ́, tó wúlò tó sì ní ìmúṣẹ̀dá tuntun. Àwòṣe tó borí Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Irin A' Design Award yìí ń kó àwọn ọ̀nà tó dára jùlọ ilé-iṣẹ́ jọ, ó sì ní àwọn ànímọ́ ìmọ̀-ẹ̀rọ tó péye tí a so mọ́ ìmọ̀ ṣíṣe àti ẹ̀bùn. A bọ̀wọ̀ fún Emotion Protocol Ìgbékalẹ̀ Tí Ó Ní Ìrìnnà nítorí ìfọ̀kànbalẹ̀ rẹ̀, a sì ṣàwòṣe rẹ̀ láti pèsè ìmúdára ìgbésí ayé tó ń ran ayé lọ́wọ́ láti di ibi tó dára jù.

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