
Acclaimed artist Hsin-Chien Huang and documentary director Nina Barbier take us on a journey over the stars and deep into the ocean in this VR scientific fairy tale where ancient beings, memories, and the growing impact of climate change comes to life.
One of Japan’s most fascinating myths, The Starry Sand Beach charts the legend of Taketomi Island and the captivating origins of the star-shaped sand species called foraminifera. A riveting tale beginning with the marriage of the Southern Cross Star and the Polar Star and the fate of their children (thousands of tiny stars that plummet into the Okinawa Sea), this immersive experience takes visitors on a spellbinding life journey of a grain of sand, snaking past treacherous mythical sea serpents, ambling sea turtles and the slowly morphing depths of time and space where unknown wonders reside.
The foraminifera take numerous shapes – some are star-shaped, others in the form of ears, mini-sputniks, ammonites or even strange shells. Oceanographers study them as markers of climate change, and by combining the complex marvels of this astounding research with the amorphous, dynamic nature of virtual reality, artist Hsin-Chien Huang crafts an awe-inspiring environment where history, science and legend collide to tell a story of hope: a life as small as a grain of sand can change the world.
Venue: ArtScience Museum, VR Gallery, Level 4
When: 22 Apr - 30 Aug 2023,
By: ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands