Synopsis

Meteor Sonata, a video installation, has 738 groups of sequence photographs, consisting of 14464 animated images, which will be projected on over six joined and synchronised screens, and display approximately a thousand of individually cross-section cut and photographed branch nodes of every two adjacent branches or trunks of a dead standing tree in my hometown. All these cross-section cut sequence photographs are from a complete dead tree. During its growth period, slender twigs continuously reached out, and the branch nodes grew and increased to hundreds. A dead old tree is a metaphor, revealing the process of a life entity, from birth, growth, development, senility to death. Each node becomes one of the countless choices of life journey. Also branches of every two nodes and the cross section which records time form unique life segment. The trace of life – tree ring is peacefully attached to the cross section. Perhaps, we can see from this angle, these cut sequences unveil a specific and transient life entity.

Ding Shiwei

Ding Shiwei was born in Heilongjiang Province of China and graduated from China Academy of Art with BFA in 2012. He currently lives and works in Hangzhou, China. His works mainly include experimental animation, video installation. His works have been selected in the international competition section and media art section of International Film Festival Rotterdam, Vancouver International Film Festival, Tampere Film Festival, Annecy International Animation Film Festival, World Festival of Animated Film Animafest Zagreb, Montreal International Film Festival of Films on Art, Image Forum Film Festival in Japan. Filmography: Meteor Sonata (2015), Goodbye Utopia (2014), Double Act (2013), Cold Heart (2012).