Projection: Light and Shadow (2021) explores the complex dialogue between technology and human existence through the medium of real-time video recording and projection. At the center of the composition, a figure stands on a blue-toned environment, generating multiple iterations of shadows. These shadows—one solid, one translucent, and one faint—reflect how light has evolved as both a tool and a subject in artistic expression. From the sacred illumination in religious paintings to the intimate glow of candlelight in Renaissance works, the revolutionary impact of natural light in plein air painting, and finally, to our contemporary era of digital projection. By employing real-time video projection as both subject and medium, this work provokes discussions on how technology transforms our relationship with light and shadow. The figure’s multiple shadows not only suggest physical presence but also allude to the layered nature of modern identity in the age of digital reproduction. Through this piece, we witness how the traditional artistic concern with light sources has shifted from a representational challenge to a conceptual exploration of technology’s impact on visual perception.

Q: Where does your inspiration come from, and how did you conceptualize this work?

Tan Mu: My inspiration comes from reflecting on how technology shapes our perception of reality. Technology extends our sensory experiences, but it also reshapes memory in the digital age. I have always been drawn to media such as video, projection, and live recording, because they do not simply document reality, but actively reconstruct it. Light has also been a long-standing focus in my practice. In painting, light and shadow are fundamental elements, and this led me to think about how the role of light has evolved over time.

While developing Projection: Light and Shadow, I was going through a period of personal uncertainty surrounding memory and identity. That experience made me aware of how, in the digital era, human existence can become fragmented, fluid, and constantly redefined through technological mediation. With this work, I wanted to explore the relationship between light and shadow through the language of projection, using it as a way to reveal the instability of identity and the shifting ways we perceive ourselves.

Q: How does light function in this work as it shifts from natural illumination to electronic projection?

Tan Mu: In this piece, light is not simply a source of illumination. It becomes a medium that actively shapes space, form, and identity. Historically, light in painting was closely tied to natural sources, such as the dramatic contrasts of Renaissance chiaroscuro. In my work, however, light transitions from the singular logic of natural shadow to the layered complexity of electronic projection.

This shift allows me to manipulate depth, transparency, and shadow in new ways. The figures exist simultaneously as physical presences and as digital echoes. These overlapping layers reflect contemporary modes of seeing, where we constantly encounter ourselves through screens, cameras, and projections. Light becomes a tool for questioning how reality is constructed and how perception is mediated.

Q: How does this work address identity in the digital age? Does projection represent a new form of selfhood?

Tan Mu: In this work, projection functions not only as a visual phenomenon but also as a metaphor for identity. In the digital age, our sense of self is increasingly shaped by images, data, and screens rather than by the physical body alone. The figure in the painting is surrounded by projected shadows, fragmented into multiple layers, much like our contemporary identities.

We exist as overlapping versions of ourselves: the self on social media, the self captured by surveillance systems, the data-driven self. Each of these versions is part of who we are, yet none of them fully defines us. The layered shadows in my work reflect this multiplicity and instability, expressing how identity today is fluid, fragmented, and constantly renegotiated through technology.