Le Xi 奚乐: Surreal Gestures
My art often focuses on immersing myself in and perceiving time. By compressing the flow of time in images, I slow down and let small vibrations blend with slow reflections, exploring how time unfolds and solidifies into forms or digital structures. In this process, I feel as if I am in the "nature" of the digital world, pausing or resetting my relationship with my surroundings to reconsider the meaning of existence.
Le Xi, Smartphones, video, 01:01(Loop), dimensions variable, 2024
In this context, my work " Smartphones" was created. It is a line-drawing animation centered around "gestures," inspired by my close interactions with my phone in daily life. The phone has become an extension of my body, prompting me to think deeply about the complex relationship between gestures and technology. Through line drawing, I extract gestures from everyday scenes, capturing the connections between the body and the world that are often overlooked due to our phones.
surreal-drawing process
As I move through the states of "seeing, thinking, and drawing," I depict gestures frame by frame and simulate the flow of time on the computer, showcasing subtle changes in gestures. These changes reflect the loneliness and alienation that come with being surrounded by technology, allowing time to briefly freeze in that moment. This creative method lets me experience a digital life that transcends reality, compressing and extending time as if opening up a whole new dimension of perception.
Le Xi, Smartphones, video, 01:01(Loop), dimensions variable, 2024
As I illustrate the ongoing motion of gestures, I observe how the fusion of phone and fingers alters our communication with the outside world, others, and each other. I also realize that gestures serve as a neutral language, transcending linguistic and cultural boundaries, offering a unique surreal experience of "mobile gestures." This experience allows me to rethink the alienation between body and technology and how they reshape our perceptions and reactions. Thus, the work expresses not only the collective existence of the digital age but also my personal adaptation to and understanding of digital life.
Le Xi illustrating the creative process of line drawing
For me, innovation is not just about technological breakthroughs; it's about how we switch "channels" to experience life. Different "channels" may carry completely opposite technological standards, but they all point to one goal: redefining our relationship with the world. Through " Smartphones," I aim to use gestures as a medium to invite viewers to sense the subtle spaces where technology and body merge, reflecting on how we find our own ways of existing in the digital age.
