Temple of Light is a 360-degree exhibition concept, powered by creative minds globally, that aims to disrupt traditional museums and the entertainment industries.

Like an IMAX theater meets art museum, it began as a pop-up space along Shanghai's North Bund in the late fall of 2021, delivering a cutting-edge, immersive art experience for a new generation of culture and history lovers to consume both classic and contemporary art.

READ MORE: Temple of Light: A 360-Degree Sensorial Art Experience

After its immediate success, the pop-up became a mainstay, extending its flagship show – 'Mutation and Ukiyo-e Visions' – for nearly two years to audiences of all ages and walks of life.

Image courtesy of Temple of Light

Now, after more than a year in the making, and with a production team of nearly 100 people from around the world, Temple of Light and the creative genius behind its previous successes, Danny Rose Studio, are debuting its third global show, 'Piying Dream.'

An unprecedented digital animated showcase of Chinese shadow puppet art – piying – it launched simultaneously in Shanghai and Shenzhen this past weekend.

In collaboration with the Chinese Shadow Play Folk Art Museum and Mashi Shadow Play Troupe (that spans six generations of shadow puppet collecting families), the exhibition is composed entirely of Chinese shadow puppet imagery, as well as classic ceramic and embroidery patterns – a first of its kind.

Image courtesy of Temple of Light

So what’s the big deal about shadow puppets animation? 

As Temple of Light co-founder Robert Zheng and co-producer and curator Yelin Qiu explain to us, the show was meticulously curated using over 3,000 images of authentic shadow puppets and animation from motion-capture of real performances in ultra-high-resolution.

This level of detail magnifies the exquisite craftsmanship on six-meter-high walls by recording the nuanced movements of these Ming and Qing Dynasty shadow puppet characters through blue screen animation – a pioneering technique in the evolution of art.

Image courtesy of Temple of Light

'Piying Dream' catapults a two-millennia-old tradition into the contemporary digital realm, marking a historic milestone as the world's first immersive digital experience rooted in the Chinese Shadow Play art form, a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Within this imaginative shadow puppet kingdom, iconic characters from classic Chinese literature – including the beloved Sun Wukong (or Monkey King), the wise Zhuge Liang, and the heroic Wu Song – as well as traditional pavilions, mythical creatures, and flora and fauna shatter the confines of conventional portrayal, emerging in unexpected forms. 

Image courtesy of Temple of Light

Complementing the mesmerizing visuals is an original Chinese musical score tailored to enhance the riveting audiovisual experience.

Utilizing Epson’s latest 3LCD technology and Meyer Sound’s cutting-edge ULTRA-X20 spatialized sound system, the art experience is delivered as a revolutionary 4D, fully immersive experience, traveling through history and multiple cultures. 

Image courtesy of Temple of Light

And this is just the beginning – the show is already attracting an international audience, allowing China's traditional artistry to take center stage on a global immersive digital platform, captivating audiences worldwide.

So head along now, and say you saw it first.

Details

Exhibition Dates: Aug 19-Nov 30

Times: Tue-Fri 11am-8pm, Sat-Sun 10am-9pm, all shows begin on the hour

Address: Temple of Light, 598 Dongdaming Lu, by Xinjian Lu 东大名路598号, 近新建路

Tickets: Early Bird RMB98/person, Regular RMB128/person

To follow Temple of Light’s Official WeChat and book tickets, scan the QR below. Tickets can also be purchased through Maoyan, Damai, and 247 platforms.

About Temple of Light
 

Temple of Light is an immersive digital art exhibition pioneer integrating the latest high-tech projection technology to recreate living paintings in gigantic scale.

Immersing the audience in a full 360-degree sensorial experience, deepening engagement with famous masterpieces, it serves to subvert the traditional static artworks viewing mode in museums, transforming the way people enjoy a spectrum of art. 

Danny Rose is the Paris-based design studio behind Temple of Light.

An industry giant, Danny Rose Studio – an acclaimed creator of immersive spectacles with a global audience of over three million – is a multidisciplinary art and design collective creating and realizing large scale digital artworks: immersive experiences, interactive installations and architectural art mapping.

In the past, they have brought both contemporary and classic works to life in Paris, Sydney, Singapore and Tokyo, as well as at the 2002 Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony.

[Cover image courtesy of Temple of Light]