Shaman Planet
Costume / Projection / Digital Media / 2023.7
Background
This project was developed as part of a collaborative exploration of imagined planetary cultures. It begins with a speculative question: if extraterrestrial intelligent life exists, could it also develop forms of primal belief and ritual similar to shamanism, shaped by fear, curiosity, and reverence toward natural forces and the unknown?
Shamanic ideas of communication between humans, animals, nature, and spiritual worlds became the cultural foundation for imagining this fictional civilization.
Research
The research developed along two main directions: shamanic culture and speculative ideas around extraterrestrial life.
For my Saturn section, I studied the symbolic use of feathers, animal materials, tree bark, ritual costume, and natural forces in shamanic traditions. In parallel, I looked at scientific discussions around the Saturn system, particularly Enceladus, whose subsurface ocean, minerals, and organic compounds provided an imaginative starting point for the project.
Design
For the Saturn section, I combined the symbolic language of shamanic dress with the visual characteristics of Saturn. The circular structure of the lower garment references Saturn’s rings, while the upward horn-like forms of the upper body draw on ideas of animal power. A feathered halo at the back connects flight, natural force, and cosmic imagery.
I created the digital layer in TouchDesigner using rotating particles, flowing forms, and ring-like motion projected onto the costume. These moving visuals echo both planetary structures and the layered, flowing materials found in shamanic dress, turning the body into a speculative bridge between ritual culture and an imagined extraterrestrial world.
Projection studies
The TouchDesigner studies developed two visual layers: particles around the planet’s periphery and a flowing effect at its centre. The projection experiments brought these moving lines onto the costume, where the folds and layered fabric changed how the imagery was perceived.
The studies explored the relationship between planetary rotation, the body and ritual imagery. Photographs of the projection tests record how the moving colour and light travelled across the garment and its feathered halo.
Presentation
The final collaborative installation was presented in Shanghai, where my Saturn section formed part of a larger planetary display. The digital planetary visuals were adapted for a large-scale public presentation, extending the project beyond the costume itself and into an urban exhibition context.
Spherical display studies
Front and side digital studies tested the planetary imagery on the spherical display in Shanghai. The documentation records the Saturn visuals both within the wider streetscape and at closer range, as part of the collaborative presentation.
Construction studies
The silhouette trials used umbrellas, rigid textiles and metal weights to explore and reinforce the garment’s structure. Boning held the upper garment in shape, with upward horn-like forms at the left shoulder and lower right side.
The tiered skirt combined boning in its upper section with wire holding the lowest section in a circle. This construction translated the ring of Saturn into a floating form around the body.
The final assembly brought the shaped upper garment and circular lower skirt together, with the feathered halo fixed at the back. The making photographs document fabric construction, fitting and the attachment of the halo.
