Liminal by Zhitao Lin
June 11 – June 14
Emerson Contemporary has joined hands with the International Computer Music Conference (ICMC), one of the world’s largest and most prestigious gatherings of sound artists, electroacoustic composers, and music technologists from across the globe. As a part of the installation track of ICMC 2025, presenting Liminal – on display at Emerson Contemporary’s Media Art Gallery from June 11th – 14th.
YouTube (2023). Used here for cultural reference.
Liminal is an AI-driven audiovisual installation by Zhitao Lin that transforms tra-
ditional Chinese aesthetics into a generative, interactive experience. Inspired by the mythical Peach Blossom Spring, the piece uses real-time gesture tracking to control the sound of Guqin, Xiao, and percussion, along with dynamic digital ink landscapes rendered as 3D particle systems. Only one audience member is tracked at a time, allowing for a focused and intimate interaction. Each motion becomes a brushstroke in both sound and image, creating a deeply personal and ephemeral version of this imagined utopia.
At the heart of Liminal is a custom gesture-mapping system driven by computer vision. A high-frame-rate camera captures the participant’s hand and body movements in real time. The left hand triggers and modulates sounds derived from traditional Chinese percussion and xiao (bamboo flute), while the right hand controls timbral and articulatory variations of guqin-like textures, such as harmonics and arpeggios. These movements simultaneously influence a custom 3D particle system, generating visuals reminiscent of dynamic ink wash paintings. The result is an evolving visual environment that fuses digital abstraction with references to natural landscapes and lacquered ornamentation.
Image by Zhitao Lin.
Sound in Liminal is shaped through a real-time gestural mapping system. Using a high-frame-rate camera, the installation tracks the participant’s hand and body movements to control and modulate sonic elements derived from guqin, xiao, and percussive textures. Each gesture dynamically alters parameters such as pitch articulation, layering, and spatialization—allowing the participant to sculpt a con- tinuously evolving soundscape through motion alone.
Designed for one-on-one interaction, the installation maintains focus and clarity by tracking a single participant at a time. This enables highly responsive audio-visual interplay and encourages an intimate, reflective mode of engagement.
Each interaction becomes a unique and ephemeral composition, situated at the intersection of body, machine, and cultural resonance. Liminal invites participants into a space where gestures function as both input and authorship, transforming embodied presence into real-time audiovisual expression. It offers a sensory environment where memory, movement, and technology coalesce—evoking a digitally mediated encounter with introspection and transformation.
Artist Statement
Zhitao Lin is a forward-thinking composer whose work bridges traditional Chinese aesthetics, spectral music, and cutting-edge technology. Currently a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) candidate in Composition at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, he also holds a Master’s degree in Composition from Peabody and a Bachelor’s degree in Music from the University of California, Berkeley. His research focuses on the intersection of artificial intelligence and music composition, exploring new possibilities in sound art through deep technological integration.
Lin’s work spans chamber music, orchestral compositions, opera, electronic music, and multimedia sound installations, earning recognition for its fusion of cultural depth and technological innovation. By blending Chinese musical traditions with spectral techniques and AI-driven creativity, he crafts a sonic world that is both avant-garde and deeply evocative. Influenced by Zen philosophy, his compositions often evoke a surreal, mystical quality, transforming abstract musical narratives into immersive experiences. His practice continues to explore new human-machine collaborations that expand the boundaries of musical expression.
Liminal – on display at Emerson Contemporary’s Media Art Gallery from June 11th – 14th.
