The Spirit of Autobiography

The Spirit of Autobiography, inspired by Autobiography, the world-famous cursive script masterpiece by the Tang dynasty monk Huaisu, is the world’s very first calligraphy VR experience. In the original, Huaisu excerpts contemporary poems written in his praise, comparing his calligraphy to images in nature. A famous segment, “my brush varies as the snake glides poised to his post, or thrashes in tune with the windstorm upon the walls,” captures the changing rhythm in Huaisu’s brushwork.

In the VR experience, the calligraphic text transforms rapidly from dragons and snakes into a storm. A dancer dances slowly in the diaphanous mist between water and sky, using his dance to interpret the speed and strength behind the calligraphy. At the end, the viewer can use a virtual brush to practice calligraphy.