Participant Information

First Name: Wending
Last Name: He

Self-introduction:
He Wending is a 2023 undergraduate student majoring in Sculpture at Nanjing University of the Arts, and serves as the Chair of the Student Union in the College of Fine Arts and Calligraphy.

Design Information

Title: Pursuit of the Cosmos

Description:
The core concept of Pursuit of the Cosmos is to realize a dialogue and renewal between Eastern and Western classical cultural symbols through contemporary digital creation.

In form, I selected the Liushi-carved Tianlu (a mythical Chinese beast) representing Eastern elegance, and the Venetian stone lion symbolizing Western majesty. Rather than simply placing them side by side, I used ZBrush 3D modeling technology to boldly deconstruct and dynamically reconstruct their classic shapes. I freed them from their inherent static poses, transforming them into a circular structure where they chase one another, head to tail. This "circle" not only serves as a visual interpretation of the Taiji philosophy of cyclical coexistence, but also forms a self-contained and tension-filled sculptural whole, symbolizing the dynamic balance achieved through civilizational interaction.

In terms of technique, ZBrush provided immense freedom, allowing me to precisely merge the linear fluidity of the Liushi carving with the volumetric solidity of the Venetian lion, while repeatedly refining the rationality of this circular dynamic in virtual space. The final form carries both the cosmological view of a "round heaven" and retains the grounded stability of a "square earth."

The creation of Pursuit of the Cosmos is an attempt to reinterpret tradition through new technology. I aimed to bring these two ancient stone creatures to "life" in the digital realm, using their pursuit and fusion to visually convey the enduring dynamism and potential for mutual fulfillment inherent in East-West civilizational exchange.