Xinlinzi Wang
Buddhist Recall
Class of: 2028
Major: Communication Design BFA
Medium: Viedo combined with Installation
Faculty: Joseph Ayers
Prompt: This project will use historic and cultural research to construct a sequence (s) that reinvents, or retells, a span of historic time. The project is not a simple documentary on a given subject, but rather a way to explore and manipulate alternate narrative structures and temporal dimensions via editing, animation and mixed-reality compositing, performance and/or installation. Any Medium is allowed.
A short film inspired by Dunhuang murals, retelling the story of View the Infinite Life Sutra. It explores the struggle and redemption of human nature in the light and shadow of Dunhuang.
The sky is filled with yellow sand, and the afternoon sun shines brightly on the murals of Dunhuang. A statue of Buddha stands quietly in its place, a place of compassion and kindness, and the starting point of everything.
The frescoes show the Buddha going from broken to whole and back again, as the mother and the Buddha shake hands and make a pact to be reborn as Azhishi. The dream awakens the hidden goodness in the heart of Ajusshi. He sees the workings of the law of karma: how his own greed and desire have caused the suffering of countless people and dragged him into the abyss of loneliness. He tries to escape, but these scenes follow him everywhere.
In the midst of reality and illusion, the Buddha reappears. Quietly conveying the teachings of forgiveness and compassion. Its low, warm voice echoed in his ears, “Power is fine dust; only compassion can free the mind.” As Ahoksai fell silent and reflected, the cracks in his heart were gradually filled with light. The mother pulls Ah Zhi Shi from the dream back to the real world, giving Ah Zhi Shi a new life.