RECLUSE THE DONGPO

The "RECLUSE THE DONGPO" project is a series of immersive VR interactive games launched to complement the offline stele and tablet exhibition at the Art Literature Library of the East Hall of the Shanghai Library. It was designed and produced by a team led by Vice Dean Tie Zhong of the Creative School of Shanghai Theatre Academy. This project adopts a serious gaming approach, organically integrating the results of literary research into the game scenes, allowing the audience to understand the stories behind the literature through interactive experiences.
"RECLUSE THE DONGPO" is based on the life and travels of Su Shi, using it as a thread to immerse the audience in a game environment where modern and classical, virtual and real merge. Through this, the audience can appreciate Su Shi's life journey intertwined with his wanderings in nature and his artistic journey, gaining insights into the achievements of landscape and calligraphy, nature and culture intertwining. It maximizes the elimination of the distance between the audience and cultural artifacts, making the viewers feel like they are part of the artwork.
As technology advances and costs decrease, the speed of cultural IP transitioning into the digital realm is accelerating. The long-discussed "metaverse" is already beginning to take shape as consumable content in Shanghai. Compared to purely commercial projects, "RECLUSE THE DONGPO" places a greater emphasis on exploring cultural content and experimental technology. During the development process, the team from Shanghai Theatre Academy experimented with the use of AI-generated images using AIGC technology, exploring the possibilities of collaborative artistic creation with artificial intelligence.