0.5 in Limbo
By
Xuemei Zhou
BA, Communication University of China, Nanjing, 2022
A THESIS SUPPORT PAPER SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF
MASTER OF FINE ARTS

EMILY CARR UNIVERSITY OF ART + DESIGN
2025

© Xuemei Zhou, 2025

i

Abstract
This thesis explores 0.5 in Limbo, an immersive interactive installation that examines the
transformation of self-perception and existence within a digital environment. This project
creates an open interactive space where viewers, through their choices and participation,
influence the evolution and archiving of virtual organisms. In this continuously evolving
digital ecosystem, each action serves as both an experiment and a question, while each
archived entity represents a reconstruction or documentation of reality. The work invites
participants to navigate the tension between certainty and uncertainty, shaping their own
interpretations. Inspired by my reliance on short-form video platforms during the pandemic,
0.5 in Limbo evolved into a reflection on collective digital survival. By sorting out the
technical implementation, spatial construction, and interactive design of the project, this
thesis explores the artistic reinterpretation of the laboratory and archiving. This process not
only documents an artistic practice but also provides a new perspective on understanding the
experience of existence in the digital age. Through reflections on the creative process, this
thesis seeks to open a gap for thinking, where the digital laboratory is no longer just a means
of expression but a way of understanding the world and an attempt to find possibilities within
uncertainty.

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Acknowledgement
I am deeply grateful to my supervisor, Janet Wang, for her invaluable guidance and support
throughout this thesis. My sincere thanks also extend to my Internal Reviewer, Sunny Nestler,
and External Reviewer, Sarah Joyce, whose critical insights and thoughtful feedback have
significantly strengthened this paper.
A special thanks to Randy Cutler, whose generosity and openness have provided me with
opportunities to grow and expand my perspectives.
I would also like to express my appreciation to Sara Osenton at the Writing Centre, whose
insights and patience have been crucial in refining my writing and developing my ideas over
these past two years.
Throughout my artistic journey, I have been profoundly influenced by the teachings of many
instructors. I wish to acknowledge the lasting impact of Sanem Guvenc, Mark Igloliorte,
Lauren Marsden, prOphecy Sun, Ingrid Koenig, Mimi Gellman, Annie Briard, and Gwenessa
Lam, each of whom has contributed unique elements to my evolving practice.
Finally, to my cohort, whose encouragement, inspiring conversations, and shared energy have
made this experience truly meaningful, and to my family and friends, whose steadfast support
has been my foundation—thank you!

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Table of Contents

Abstract...................................................................................................................................... i
Acknowledgement.................................................................................................................... ii
Table of Contents..................................................................................................................... iii
List of Figures.......................................................................................................................... iv

Through the Screen, Into the Lab...........................................................................................1
X, Y, Z: Coordinates of Inquiry.............................................................................................. 7
Tracing My Path................................................................................................................... 7
Digital Tides: Perception in Flux......................................................................................... 8
In-between space................................................................................................................ 10
Unfolding the Lab...................................................................................................................13
Reimagining the Laboratory...............................................................................................13
The Language of Interaction.............................................................................................. 14
Compound...............................................................................................................................16
Fabrication..........................................................................................................................16
Manipulation...................................................................................................................... 19
Archiving............................................................................................................................20
Lab Report: Final Analysis................................................................................................... 24

Works Cited............................................................................................................................ 29

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List of Figures
Fig. 1. Mockup for 0.5 in Limbo, Cinema 4D software screenshot, 2025................................. 1
Fig. 2. 0.5 in Limbo, State of Practice Exhibition Installation view, 2024............................... 2
Fig. 3. Resin specimens under UV light and completed laboratory glove box..........................3
Fig. 5. Three Life Times, Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms, 2022................................................... 5
Fig. 6. Lost in the Echo, 2023. Video installation, 2 min 34 sec................................................6
Fig. 7. Cocoon, 2022. 43 pages. Yunlong paper and silk textured paper, 40 × 33 inch............. 7
Fig. 8. Participants interacting at the State of Practice Exhibition, 2024.................................14
Fig. 9. MOT Cabinet, installation view, referenced work by Yaloo,........................................17
Fig. 10. Diagram of the laboratory glove box structure with dimensions................................18
Fig. 11. Laboratory glove box assembly process stages.......................................................... 19
Fig. 12. Screenshot of JavaScript code in Visual Studio Code software, utilizing the p5.js and
ml5.js libraries for interactive and machine learning-based functionalities.............................21
Fig. 13. Specimen jar test......................................................................................................... 22
Fig. 14. Display of specimen jars at the Guangdong Museum of Traditional Chinese
Medicine, showcasing various medicinal plants...................................................................... 23
Fig. 15. Immersive interactive installation overview with materials and layout..................... 24
Fig. 16. Interactive center and specimen shelves under ambient lighting................................25
Fig. 17. Viewer guidance tools: footprint stickers and instruction poster................................ 26
Fig. 18. Viewers interacting within the installation space........................................................26
Fig. 19. Labeled jars containing viewer-generated digital organisms......................................27
Fig. 20. Detailed views of internal structures within specimen jars ........................................28

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Fig. 1. Screenshot from Cinema 4D software, digital mock-up for 0.5 in Limbo, 2025. This visualization offers a
preliminary glimpse into the final exhibition setup, showcasing the intended spatial and visual effects. Materials
include interactive installation, lab acrylic glove box, rear projection film, glass and acrylic specimen jars,
UV-cured resin, PVC, yarn, and PEVA curtain.

1

Through the Screen, Into the Lab
My thesis project 0.5 in Limbo1 is an immersive interactive installation that transforms a
gallery space into a pseudo-digital laboratory, where viewers engage with virtual organisms
through a laboratory glove box. Acting as scientists, they select and manipulate these virtual
organisms, deciding whether to archive them or let them dissolve. As the exhibition
progresses, their choices accumulate into a growing database of hybrid life forms, mirroring
the evolving dynamics of digital ecosystems.

Fig. 2. 0.5 in Limbo, State of Practice Exhibition Installation view, 0.5 in Limbo Interactive installation
presented via a digital screen, lab coats and goggles, 2024. Photo by Boya Liang.

This project first took shape in the State of Practice (SOP) Exhibition, where it existed as a
screen-based interactive installation. In that early version, participants interacted with virtual
organisms entirely on a digital display, selecting and saving them into a database. To further
reinforce the laboratory atmosphere and deepen the experimental dimension of the work, I
developed the next phase of the project by extending the installation beyond the digital screen
into a physical laboratory glove box, enhancing the viewer's sense of physical participation.

1

0.5 in Limbo signifies an unfinished, suspended state—never reaching completion, never fully arriving. "0.5" is the
in-between, a number that never reaches "1," symbolizing actions that remain unfinished, constrained within predetermined
boundaries. "Limbo" evokes a space of uncertainty, where presence, agency, and meaning remain unresolved, continuously
shifting through interaction.

2

Fig. 3. Left: Resin specimens under UV light during the fabrication process. Right: Laboratory glove box as part
of the installation setup.

Subsequently, the new fictive organisms created by audiences during the SOP exhibition
transform from purely digital traces into tangible, archivable physical forms. I manually
sculpt these based on their digital records（Fig. 4), using resin, PVC, and other mixed
materials. These three-dimensional artifacts are displayed alongside the glove box, visually
linking the digital interaction with their tangible material counterparts. Once materialized,
each specimen is sealed in specimen jars, becoming physical remnants of this experimental
ecosystem. Additionally, the space incorporates a transparent curtain and cool lighting effects
to further enhance the atmosphere of a real scientific laboratory. In this setting, viewers are
invited to wear lab coats and goggles, assuming the role of scientists conducting experiments.
With hand gesture tracking and recognition, a crawling, wriggling virtual organism is selected
from the pool and dragged into a petri dish on the right. Through continuous layering and
combination, the participant shapes the organism’s fate and form before making a choice to
save it, refresh the interface, or simply leave it in the virtual petri dish.
By choosing to save their digital interaction, the "scientist" adds to an archive, integrating
newly created fictive organisms into a larger digital system and making them part of the
experimental ecology. Here, there are no predetermined correct answers—meaning is
continuously created, dissolved, or redefined through ongoing experimentation, selection, and
intervention. As more viewers participate, these interactions contribute to an ever-evolving
collaborative process.

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Fig. 4. State of Practice Exhibition Archive Screenshot, Digital documentation of viewer generated hybrid new
fictive organisms, captured through the exhibition's interactive installation, 2024.

This work is deeply rooted in my personal experience within digital ecosystems. Living in the
physical world, I simultaneously find myself mired in a digital quagmire. Screens are my
connection to the world. More than just a glowing flat surface, they bridge the distance
between me and the external realm. Every morning, as I open my eyes, the first gleam of light
emanates from my phone screen—my academic tool, search engine, entertainment paradise,
and life coach. It is also the bond that connects me with friends and family. Platforms like
Rednote2 and Douyin3 have become a main stage, allowing me to enjoy the benefits of
technology while simultaneously pulling me deeper into the digital landscape shaped by
algorithms, data, and recommendation mechanisms, seemingly unable to clearly see the
future or know where they will take me.
These platforms have not only changed the way I receive information but are also shaping the
way I understand the world. The editing of short-form videos and the logic of
recommendation mechanisms make all content visually appealing, consumable, and
shareable. Reality seems to be re-encoded through this viewing method. I have become
accustomed to the logic of moving images, and at certain moments, these audiovisual
representations seem more "real" than reality itself. To a certain extent, users no longer

2

Rednote is a Chinese social media platform that integrates content creation, sharing, and e-commerce, functioning similarly
to Instagram. Since the impending 2025 U.S. ban on TikTok, a large number of TikTok users, self-identified as "TikTok
refugees," have migrated to the platform, driving its diversification and internationalization.
3
Douyin is a short-form video platform developed by ByteDance for the Chinese market, sharing core technology with its
international counterpart, TikTok. It utilizes intelligent algorithms, focusing on content distribution and user engagement.

4

observe reality directly but rather witness how images interpret reality, eventually believing
that these images themselves constitute a part of reality.
This mode of viewing can be understood through the simulacrum theory proposed by French
sociologist and philosopher Jean Baudrillard. He argues that the content on digital platforms
is not a reflection of reality but rather a system of images constructed through computation,
selection, and replication (Baudrillard 6). Within this system, digital platforms create a
hyperreal viewing experience—one in which images no longer refer to an external truth but
instead form a self-sustaining, fluid, and endlessly self-replicating network (Baudrillard 45).
As viewers, we have gradually become accustomed to this self-referential nature of images,
seeking meaning within an infinite cycle of information.

Fig. 5. Xuemei Zhou, Site-specific Installation, Three Life Times, Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms, 2022. UHD
video, 04 min 52 sec (sound, color).

In past projects, I attempted to explore perception, the body, and knowledge construction
within a digital ecology through multimedia or interdisciplinary approaches. I focused on
how I perceived the world and understood myself in this era shaped by platform rules,
content moderation, and algorithms. Starting with Three Life Times, Ten Miles of Peach
Blossoms (Fig. 5), I examined popular Chinese short-form video platforms like Kwai (similar

5

to Douyin and Rednote App) as a research object to reflect on how digital platforms shaped
individual expression and aesthetic systems, and how they changed under content
moderation. This platform once provided users with a space for self-expression, but as the
platform rules have been adjusted, its aesthetic ecology also evolved. The work re-arranged
the dance and music in the context of Kwai through a virtual 3D body theater4, exploring the
fluidity of the body intertwined with digital culture and social norms.

Fig. 6. Lost in the Echo, 2023. Video installation, 2 min 34 sec,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6N3cK5Gl1A.

Continuing this exploration, video installation Lost in echo (Fig. 6) blurred the boundaries
between reality and virtuality through distorted images and rapid scene transitions, reflecting
the confusion and disorientation in memory and perception brought about by the era of digital
information overload. A book made of silk material, Cocoon (Fig. 7), borrowed biological
metaphors to express the complex feelings of being both protected and constrained in
contemporary social life. Each work explored the way humans exist in the digital
environment from different perspectives, and these practices laid the foundation for my
current creations.

4

A performance format that merges live dance with 3D-modeled spaces, where the dancer's body is detached from the
physical space and interacts with digital architecture, creating a performative field that exists between reality and the virtual.

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Fig. 7. Cocoon, 2022. 43 pages. Yunlong paper and paper with silkworm-silk texture; 40 × 33 inch.

These ongoing explorations have made me realize that the digital ecosystem constructs a
fluid reality topology5 around my experience, while also reshaping sensory thresholds amid
the rapid circulation of information. Prolonged exposure to these fast-paced, fragmented
information flows renders the brain myasthenic,6 heightening personal anxiety and unease.
Sometimes I ask myself whether the path of growth shaped by this digital environment is
right or wrong. How many of the decisions and actions in my life stem from my own will,
and how many are influenced and predicted by external forces? There seems to be no clear
answer, but I want to try to capture this ambiguous and contradictory feeling—this complex
experience of being pulled, trapped, yet actively choosing to immerse in it.
0.5 in Limbo is precisely the concretized attempt of this series of speculations at the current
stage. I have distilled personal experiences within the digital environment into a digitized
interactive experience. However, it does not completely reproduce the rigor and order of a
scientific laboratory. Instead, it transplants this symbolic field into the gallery space, creating
an atmosphere where rationality and absurdity coexist through installations with experimental
attributes.

5

The reality topology here does not refer to traditional geographical or physical spatial structures but rather to a dynamic and
malleable perceptual space shaped by the flow of information, the organization of content on platforms, and their
dissemination mechanisms within the digital ecosystem.
6
Myasthenic here does not refer to a medical condition but is used metaphorically to describe the brain becoming fatigued
and sluggish due to prolonged exposure to fast-paced, fragmented information flows, making it difficult to maintain deep
thinking and focus.

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X, Y, Z: Coordinates of Inquiry
Tracing My Path
My creative practice did not begin with art but an exploration of media ecology. As a creator
bridging journalism and digital media, I initially examined how information is shaped and
disseminated, and how technology influences perception and behavior through the lens of
communication studies7. While this experience did not directly define my artistic direction, it
planted a seed that subtly shaped my creative approach, fostering a lasting interest in media
mechanisms throughout my work.
During my undergraduate studies, I focused on online public opinion supervision within
short-form video platforms, analyzing how algorithmic recommendations reshape the
information ecosystem and public sentiment. In my thesis, 《浅析当今网媒舆论对公众事件
的影响——以“网红罗小猫猫子”为例》8, I selected Luo Xiaomao Maozi as a case study to
explore how recommendation mechanisms subtly influence the reach and visibility of
information within entertainment-driven short-form video platforms, thereby exacerbating
online polarization9 and the filter bubble effect.10 The recommendation system relies on user
data to personalize content distribution, amplifying the visibility of specific information while
downplaying or even suppressing content that does not align with user preferences. In doing
so, it invisibly structures the hierarchy of information flow. Under the influence of
algorithmic promotion, Luo Xiaomao Maozi's experience quickly became a focal point of
public discourse. However, this heightened visibility was accompanied by highly emotional
commentary and online harassment, ultimately leading to her suicide.
At that time, Professor Peng Lan’s book Introduction to Network Communication provided a
theoretical foundation for understanding the relationship between digital communication,
technology, and society (Peng, 2018). The book’s profound analysis of the media
7

Although my major was journalism, communication studies here refers to a specific course within the field, focusing on
information dissemination and media influence. Journalism is a broad discipline, and this course helped me understand how
technology shapes perception and behavior.
8
《浅析当今网媒舆论对公众事件的影响——以“网红罗小猫猫子”为例》 is the title of my undergraduate thesis in
Chinese, which translates to An Analysis of Social Media Public Opinion's Impact on Public Events: A Case Study of
Chinese Internet Celebrity 'Luo Xiaomao Maozi.
9
Initially proposed by American professor Cass Sunstein, later in the information society, the network gives everyone the
right to express themselves freely, but in the process of group discussion, convergent views are constantly reinforced, leading
to the phenomenon of group polarization on the network.
10
Originally proposed by Cass Sunstein in his book Infotopia: How Many Minds Produce Knowledge, this concept refers to
the phenomenon where people focus only on information they choose or find pleasurable, forming a closed, bubble-like
information system.

8

environment not only helped me grasp the complex ecosystem and narrative patterns of
online communication but, more importantly, planted a seed of thought that continued to
grow over the years. These theories gradually intertwined with my personal experiences,
shaping the way I understand and perceive my existence in the digital world.
Now, in 0.5 in Limbo, I turn my focus inward, re-examining my relationship with digital
platforms. This project serves as both an intimate reflection of my own digital existence and a
subtle attempt to navigate ways of perceiving and being in the digital world. Rather than
offering a definitive conclusion, it seeks to capture elusive personal experiences within this
ever-shifting digital landscape.
Digital Tides: Perception in Flux
The origins of my thesis project 0.5 in Limbo stem from the deepening sense of existential
dislocation I experienced during the pandemic in China—days when my body was confined
to a small space, life became intensely tangible, yet my mind drifted aimlessly, unable to find
a place to rest. While the physical world was put on pause, the digital tide never ceased;
under the constraints of lockdown, it surged even more relentlessly, filling the gaps in my
perception.
Initially, the government's sudden and strict control measures were difficult to adapt to, with
daily lockdown news reminding me that the world was still changing, while I remained
trapped in a stagnant space. During those three years, platforms like Douyin and Rednote
became a unique transitional zone. From the moment I opened my eyes until preparing to
sleep, I was immersed in this digital world, seemingly desperate to find my connection to the
world. The rhythm of viewing became fragmented, yet the stacking of information created
another form of continuity, generating a certain order within chaos.
In this world, every short-form video, posts, and recommendations were tailor-made for me,
offering topics of interest, quick knowledge snippets, and fragmentary pleasures. Over time,
the boundary between learning and entertainment blurred, everything could be simplified into
a few seconds of video or a handful of keywords, eliminating the need for deep reading and
critical thinking. This habit of skimming through content gradually replaced traditional deep

9

learning, making me resistant to prolonged focus and contemplation. My mind became numb,
caught in an endless cycle of replication and reproduction within a homogenized11 space.
Gradually, it is as if I have contracted an illness, one where I experience intense withdrawal
symptoms if I do not consume content on Douyin or Rednote. This convenience and
stimulation has made me greedy, unable to stop even as my eyes grow dry and my mind hazy.
With it comes an ever-increasing cost of happiness, a mounting sense of anxiety, and
diminishing focus and self-control. No one requires me to watch, yet I am powerless to cease,
as if the moment I do, I must confront the emptiness and helplessness of reality.
This digital dependency has become a collective phenomenon in contemporary society.
According to recent data from DataReportal’s Digital 2024: Global Overview Report (59), as
of 2024, there are 5.35 billion internet users worldwide, accounting for approximately 67% of
the global population. On average, internet users aged 16 to 64 spend 6 hours and 40 minutes
online daily, highlighting the dominance of digital life in modern existence (DataReportal
59). In China, short-form video platforms saw a surge in users during the pandemic, with
over 640 million active users on Douyin and similar platforms by February 2020, serving as a
crucial emotional outlet during lockdown (MobTech). This trend did not fade with the
pandemic but instead became deeply integrated into post-pandemic lifestyles and cultural
habits.
Within my social circle, traditional messaging apps have gradually been replaced by
short-form video-based interactions. Friends now prefer to share their lives and express
emotions through Douyin and Rednote, with entire conversations revolving around videos or
posts. In some cases, text has become secondary, with images and videos taking precedence
in communication. Deep conversations are increasingly replaced by fragmented
interactions—likes, comments, and shares. This shift in communication not only reflects
changes in personal habits but also signals a broader societal trend. With the continued
development of AI and augmented reality, short-form video platforms will likely become
even more immersive and irresistible, as our constant engagement feeds the algorithm, which
in turn refines and optimizes content to further captivate our attention.

11

It refers to the phenomenon where different content or products become highly similar in form, style, and expression,
lacking diversity and uniqueness, ultimately leading to a monotonous flow of information or experience.

10

0.5 in Limbo is not merely an outcome shaped by the unique circumstances in China during
this period; I have also expanded it into a broader response to collective consciousness. What
I want to emphasize here is that, while reports from DataReportal and MobTech provide data
support, individual usage patterns and experiences vary greatly. The experiences I describe
are not universally applicable, as the reasons for being deeply immersed in these platforms
are influenced by multiple factors and may not be entirely attributable to digital platforms
alone. However, within my specific context, these influences were amplified, blurring my
sense of control over the flow of information and even leading to a feeling of being lost. For
this reason, I hope to present my personal experience as an invitation for the viewer to
actively engage, and interpret in their own way, generating meaning through their interaction
with the work.
In-between space
Although the pandemic once trapped me within an invisible boundary, shrinking my physical
space and making the screen my only escape, technology and media are constantly evolving.
The way information flows, the space for individual expression, and the production and
consumption of content are all continuously changing.
In 0.5 in Limbo, my reflection on personal experience is not singular or linear. It is full of
contradictions, with no absolute good or bad. Falling can mean destruction and
disappearance, but it can also lead to creation. I want to open gaps in new digital habits and
embrace the discomfort that comes with emerging possibilities.
Using contemporary art as an example, its fluidity has already permeated the everyday media
environment. On platforms dominated by short-form videos, the rise of self-media has
brought images, performances, and exhibitions into constant circulation around us. As curator
Hanru Hou referenced Mao Zedong’s words in an interview, “There is great chaos under
heaven – the situation is excellent”12 (Mao, qtd. in Hou). Today’s art ecosystem presents a
dynamic, diverse, and unclassifiable landscape, functioning not only as cultural production
but also as a structural transformation of society (Hou).
At the same time, the rise of self-media has also driven the decentralization of discourse
power. Unlike the past, where narratives were shaped by a small number of media
12

The phrase originally referred to the potential for transformation amid social turmoil. Here, Hanru Hou adopts this
expression to describe the fluidity and uncertainty of the contemporary art environment.

11

institutions, the "poor image" (Steyerl, 2009) and low-resolution short-form videos on these
platforms no longer rely on the high-cost production of the traditional film industry but
instead operate within the fragmented information flow of everyday life. As Hito Steyerl
states, “The poor image is a strategy of escape” (Steyerl, 2009, p. 32), liberating images from
elite-controlled systems and integrating them into broader social domains. This shift is not
merely a technological evolution but a part of cultural democratization. Images are no longer
confined to cinemas or archives but are embedded in social life. Julio García Espinosa also
advocated for the creation of an imperfect cinema (For an Imperfect Cinema, 1969), blurring
the boundaries between consumer and producer, viewer and creator.
However, this decentralization also brings contradictions. In an algorithm-driven ecosystem,
the information users receive is highly personalized, simultaneously expanding individual
expression while trapping them within filter bubbles (Pariser, 2011). Can critical perspectives
still be maintained in such an environment? Will individuals become mere objects of
consumption, or can they still function as forces of resistance?
This self-replicating network of images implies complex political structures. As Adam Curtis
reveals in Hypernormalisation, we have gradually become accustomed to accepting an
alternative reality shaped by media and algorithms (Curtis). While self-media has achieved
apparent decentralization of discourse power, the circulation of content is still controlled by
algorithms, forming a new power system. In 0.5 in Limbo, I transform these contradictory
personal experiences in the digital environment into an interactive installation, providing
viewers with a perspective for reflection through the laboratory metaphor. The mechanism of
choosing to save or abandon virtual organisms in the work is intended to evoke reflection on
how algorithms shape our information reception and memory formation, without
presupposing how viewers will interpret it.
At this technological turning point, it is often difficult for individuals to make immediate
judgments, as such judgments require time. The boundaries between reality and presence are
constantly dissolving, and traditional classifications can no longer fully capture the current
media ecology. This decentralized media environment offers freedom of expression but also
introduces new uncertainties. In this ever-shifting reality, perhaps it is necessary to return to
Hanru Hou’s perspective. When discussing the contemporary art ecosystem, he suggests an
approach that neither opposes nor conforms, but instead remains open, hybrid, and inclusive.

12

This fluidity and uncertainty, he argues, are precisely what give life its meaning. Within this
process, subjectivity is not entirely consumed but still has the potential to find its place within
the shifting media reality (Hou, 2025).
I believe this perspective applies not only to contemporary art but also reflects my own
position within the digital environment. Facing an information landscape shaped by
algorithms and data, it is unnecessary to rush toward definitive conclusions. Instead, meaning
can emerge through intersections and exchanges, fostering unconventional viewpoints and
new imaginations within seemingly familiar daily experiences. It allows for both the
production of ways of seeing and the expression of contradictions in existence, remaining
ready to resist while simultaneously accepting submission.
Therefore, in this digital laboratory I have created, although the system is set up, meaning is
not preset. Instead, it continuously emerges and evolves within different contexts and
individual experiences. As Theodor W. Adorno asserts, there is no stability in this world; we
must find new possibilities within an unstable realm (Adorno, 1970).

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Unfolding the Lab
Reimagining the Laboratory
Typically, the image of a laboratory is one of precision and restraint, with white walls, bright
lighting, and neatly arranged instruments. Everything is meticulously measured, all elements
directed toward a definitive outcome. But if a laboratory were no longer an exclusive domain
of scientific research, but an open space filled with possibilities, what would it look like?​
​
In The Lab Book: Situated Practices in Media Studies, Jussi Parikka introduces the concept
of "Laboratory Fever," which led me to reimagine the possibilities of the laboratory as a
space. From his perspective, a laboratory is not merely a physical site for scientific research
but a dynamic field where knowledge production, social interaction, and experimental
practice converge (Parikka et al., Chapter 5). It operates not only within the rigorous logic of
scientific experimentation but is also deeply embedded in cultural, political, and historical
contexts—an intersection of power, intellectual exchange, and creative practice. This
perspective made me realize that a laboratory is not simply a closed research environment but
a space that can be redefined, reshaped, and recontextualized to generate new ways of
thinking and perceiving.
When I integrated this concept into 0.5 in Limbo, the form of the laboratory began to shift. It
was no longer merely a symbol of scientific research but became a space that mirrors my own
digital existence and explores unknown possibilities.

Fig. 8. Four participants engaging in an interactive experience at the State of Practice Exhibition, 2024.

Michel Foucault’s concept of heterotopia further inspired my imagination of this space. He
describes heterotopias as real yet exceptional spaces that exist within reality but operate
under different rules, such as prisons, amusement parks, museums, or cemeteries. These
spaces are both tangible and seemingly detached from everyday life, governed by their own

14

internal logic, reflecting the order and contradictions within our society. When we are in it, it
creates a sense of familiarity and estrangement at the same time (Foucault, 1986).
Just as Foucault described, when elements of the laboratory are repurposed within the gallery
space, their function and meaning shift. Its institutional authority is deliberately
deconstructed, giving way to an environment of uncertainty and theatricality. In this
pseudo-laboratory, the precision of science is replaced by a playful absurdity, rendering the
once rigid and solemn setting unstable, even borderline comical.
This tension between seriousness and absurdity is also largely influenced by Hito Steyerl’s
work, How Not to Be Seen: A Fucking Didactic Educational .MOV File (2013). Steyerl is
known for deconstructing power structures through humor and satire, making complex social
issues more accessible and tangible. My earlier work, Lost in the Echo, (2023), experimented
with a similar approach by pasting 2D faces onto low-quality 3D human models, setting them
in fast-paced, visually disorienting scenes where they danced, creating a deliberate sense of
instability and awkwardness.
In 0.5 in Limbo, I continue to explore this tension through the documentation of experiments.
In traditional laboratories, every step is meticulously recorded, and every piece of data is
carefully analyzed. Here, however, the results of the experiments are varied Virtual
Organisms, archived in glass specimen bottles, resembling peculiar scientific discoveries.
This parody of the scientific form maintains the outward appearance of a laboratory while
subverting its internal logic, creating a subtle sense of absurdity.
The Language of Interaction
0.5 in Limbo is an experiment centered around interaction, not only as a technical realization
but as an exploration of experiential engagement. The uniqueness of interactive media lies in
its ability to transform the viewer from passive spectators into active participants, allowing
them to shape the work through their actions and continuously adjust their understanding in
the process. Unlike traditional video or installation art, interaction emphasizes process over
outcome, offering no fixed narrative or conclusion but instead evolving through dynamic
feedback.

15

In this digital laboratory, viewers interact with virtual organisms through hand gesture
tracking and recognition. They float and drift across the interface, but when dragged into the
petri dish, they revert to their static state. Participants can layer and combine different
organisms to create new configurations or choose to archive them, integrating them into the
system. The immediacy of interaction ensures that every experience is unique, imbuing the
work with an open-ended and unpredictable nature. This is not just about operation, it is
about perception. Through interaction, the viewer is not merely watching or experimenting;
they are constructing their own ways of understanding.
However, beyond its participatory and interactive characteristics, interactive media serves a
more profound function as a site for critical inquiry into the nature of the medium itself. As
Marshall McLuhan proposed in The Medium is the Message, the form of a medium
influences human perception and social structures more profoundly than the content it
delivers (McLuhan, 1964, p. 9). In other words, it is not only what we communicate that
matters but also how we communicate it, as the medium itself shapes how we receive and
interpret information. For instance, television news relies on images, sound, and visual
effects, making information more immediate and emotionally impactful, whereas newspapers
depend on text and graphics, encouraging rational analysis. In the context of short-form video
platforms and algorithmic recommendation mechanisms, our attention and decision-making
processes are undergoing significant shifts. Interaction plays a crucial role in this
transformation, not merely as a technological innovation but as a new way of forming
relationships between people, information, imagery, and environments.
In 0.5 in Limbo, I am going to create a space where viewers can observe, adjust, and rethink
their experiences. Interaction does not provide answers; rather, it expands the experience,
allowing each participant to generate unique outcomes. While we are accustomed to
passively receiving information, interaction introduces a new possibility, it enables us to
"touch" the virtual and the invisible, redefining our position within the experience. Here,
every choice is an exploration, and every decision leads to transformation.

16

Compound
Fabrication
After various iterations with this installation, I shifted the interactive interface from a screen
to a physical transparent laboratory glove box. This transformation enables viewers to
transcend purely visual comprehension of experiments, facilitating direct corporeal
engagement with the process. In an era where screens have become the default mode of
interaction, the introduction of the glove box offers an unconventional methodology for
interaction. It necessitates a more ceremonial entry, a process that requires reaching in,
making contact, and fine-tuning. This tension-filled interactive process heightens the sense of
playfulness and intrigue.
Moreover, the use of a transparent glove box aligns with the overall aesthetic of the digital
laboratory. In scientific research, medicine, chemistry, and biological experiments, glove
boxes are commonly used to isolate hazardous substances or maintain a sterile environment,
reinforcing the authenticity of the experimental setting.

Fig. 9. Yaloo, MOT Cabinet, installation view, display presented within a specimen cabinet, 2024. Generation
that Generates: as above so below, curated by MediaSonyo, Libby Leshgold Gallery, 13 Sept.–10 Nov. 2024.
Photo by Xuemei Zhou.

17

Yaloo's work MOT Cabinet (2024) has provided me with valuable insights regarding the
presentation of artworks within a laboratory-like setting. In her installation, virtual organisms
are placed within a structure resembling a specimen cabinet, evoking not only the ambiance
of a scientific laboratory but also prompting the viewer to contemplate the relationship
between the natural and the artificial, the virtual and the real, through interactive engagement.
While I cannot ascertain the precise technical means employed in her work, I am inspired by
the underlying logic of her presentation. In 0.5 in Limbo, I hope to transcend the
two-dimensional confines of the traditional screen, allowing the imagery and interaction to
extend beyond the digital interface and into a more tactile, physical space.
Consequently, I decided to affix holographic projection film13 to the back of the laboratory
glove box, employing rear projection14 to cast the interactive interface onto its transparent
surface. This approach not only refines the clarity of the visuals but also deepens the
audience’s perception, rendering the experience more spatially dynamic and immersive.

Fig. 10. Diagram of the laboratory glove box structure with dimensions in cm and inches.

13

It is a highly transparent optical material that maintains image clarity while allowing viewers to see through the projection
film to the environment behind it. Its unique diffractive optical properties create the illusion of images floating in space,
making it widely used in immersive displays, interactive installations, and digital media art.
14
Rear projection is a projection technique in which images are cast onto the back of a screen by a projector, allowing
viewers to see a clear display from the front. This method minimizes interference from ambient light, enhancing brightness
and contrast, and is commonly utilized in stage performances, exhibition installations, and interactive art.

18

During the fabrication process, I selected six 24×36 inch acrylic panels as the primary
material, as their transparency perfectly aligns with the experimental nature of the work.
Utilizing laser cutting, I precisely shaped these panels into seven distinct components.

Fig. 11. Assembly process of the laboratory glove box. From left to right: (1) Cut acrylic sheets prepared for
construction, (2) Weld-On #4 acrylic adhesive and transparent acrylic corner bracket, (3) Drilled and fixed
transparent acrylic corner bracket, (4) Assembled structure left to dry.

For assembly, I initially secured the edges with tape to ensure precision during adhesion. To
achieve a seamless and aesthetically refined finish, I employed Weld-On #4, a specialized
acrylic adhesive. This chemical solvent penetrates the seams through capillary action,
inducing a reaction with the acrylic that forms a bond reaching over 80% of its full strength
within 72 hours, leaving no visible glue residue. Additionally, I reinforced each joint with
transparent acrylic corner brackets, which not only enhanced structural stability but also
preserved the overall clarity of the piece. This meticulous approach strengthened the
laboratory’s visual coherence, reinforcing its conceptual integrity.
At the glove interface, I specifically selected laboratory grade flange rings15, ensuring
operational comfort. Notably, while traditional laboratory glove boxes are typically equipped
with long-arm acid and alkali-resistant latex vacuum gloves, I took into account the potential
for latex allergies among some viewers, as well as the heightened awareness of public
hygiene in the post-pandemic era. Consequently, I ultimately chose to retain only the flange
rings structure.

15

A flange ring is a circular structural component designed for connecting and securing the openings of various devices. It is
widely used in laboratory glove boxes, pipeline systems, and industrial equipment. In laboratory settings, flange rings
typically serve as sealed interfaces, allowing operators to perform tasks without direct exposure to the experimental
environment.

19

Manipulation
While conceptualizing how the viewer might engage with the experiment and manipulate a
certain object or entity, I was drawn to Marina Abramović’s work Rhythm 0, 1974. In this
groundbreaking work of performance art, Abramović relinquished all defenses, placing
herself in a completely passive state. She arranged 72 objects on a table, ranging from soft
feathers to sharp knives, allowing the audience to use them on her body in any manner they
desired. By surrendering control, she deliberately positioned herself in a state of extreme
vulnerability, exposing how, in the absence of rules, viewers exercised their power. Some
chose gentle gestures, while others engaged in increasingly radical and even aggressive
actions without hesitation. This unrestricted freedom unveiled the most primal, unfiltered
aspects of human behavior, transforming the artwork itself into a mirror that reflected the
complexities of human nature.
Inspired by this, in 0.5 in Limbo, the object controlled by the viewer should resemble Marina
Abramović in a state of passive submission, retaining a semblance of vitality and
responsiveness while remaining in a state of complete subjugation. After extensive
deliberation on various symbolic materials, including marionettes, shadow puppetry, nylon
restraints, laboratory mice, and masks, I ultimately chose virtual organisms as the medium.
Inside the laboratory glove box, these virtual organisms wriggle and float, acting as a mirror
that reflects my own condition within the contemporary digital landscape, sometimes yielding
to the pull of algorithms, other times struggling to break free from predetermined trajectories.
Beyond exhibiting humanoid characteristics, virtual organisms possess a high degree of
plasticity, embodying properties such as growth, division, and metabolism. They exist in a
state of fragility yet infinite potential.
Due to the constraints embedded in the code, the viewer is not always able to precisely grasp
these virtual organisms, they often slip away from the fingertips, retreating back into the
pool. Neither fully yielding to the participant’s intent nor completely escaping its own
movement logic, the virtual organism remains suspended at the threshold between control
and autonomy. The entire process becomes infused with uncertainty and contingency,
carrying an implicit sense of negotiation.

20

Fig. 12. Screenshot of JavaScript code in Visual Studio Code software, utilizing the p5.js and ml5.js libraries for
interactive and machine learning-based functionalities.

Archiving
While contemplating the concept of archiving, Jacques Derrida’s discussion in Archive
Fever: A Freudian Impression provided a crucial theoretical lens. He introduces the notion of
"archive fever", describing humanity’s paradoxical relationship with archives—marked by
both an insatiable desire to preserve and a deep-seated anxiety over loss and forgetting. Like
an unrelenting fever, this impulse compels us to record and safeguard the past while
simultaneously confronting the fear of its disappearance.
More intriguingly, Derrida conceptualizes the archive as a collection of traces, not merely a
static repository but a dynamic space where memory remains in perpetual dialogue. In this
space, the past and present continuously interact, generating new meanings. He further argues
that archives are never neutral containers; rather, they function as sites of power. Only those
documents sanctioned by authoritative institutions and stored within designated spaces attain
the status of an “archive” (Derrida 3-5). In other words, the archive, by determining what is
deemed worthy of preservation and how it is curated, subtly shapes our historical
understanding and the construction of collective memory.

21

This theoretical perspective resonates with my own experiences on short-form video
platforms. Each day, I unconsciously generate digital traces, such as likes, comments, shares,
and even fleeting pauses, all of which are silently collected and stored by algorithms, forming
historical imprints that influence the future information landscape. Yet, unlike physical
archives, this form of archiving is invisible and imperceptible; it does not manifest as clearly
defined records within our field of vision but instead operates covertly through algorithmic
recommendations, user profiling, and data analytics. In this sense, the algorithm functions as
an invisible archivist, curating content not only based on individual preferences but also
adapting its strategies in response to social trends and public discourse. This process of
"digital curation" is actively reshaping how I perceive and interpret the world.
It is precisely this passive state of being archived that led me to design a unique archival
mechanism in 0.5 in Limbo. When viewers create new digital life forms, they must make a
choice, whether to permanently preserve them or allow them to disappear into the data
stream, leaving no trace. Moreover, I liberate these preserved digital entities from the
two-dimensional screen, transforming them into tangible three-dimensional specimens
housed in glass containers, thus materializing the archival process in physical form.

Fig. 13. Visual effect of test specimen jars placed together, observing the sedimentation, diffusion, and
transparency changes of the liquid and color elements.

The display format draws inspiration from the Guangdong Museum of Traditional Chinese
Medicine. There, specimen jars are meticulously arranged on display shelves, and the act of
observing objects through the glass barrier inevitably evokes a sense of detachment while
simultaneously freezing a particular moment in time. This method of presentation not only

22

conveys an aura of systematic archival authority but also establishes a distinctive viewing
distance, shaping the way the audience engages with the objects.

Fig. 14. Display of specimen jars at the Guangdong Museum of Traditional Chinese Medicine, showcasing
various medicinal plants.

Adopting this institutionalized display method, I placed the virtual organisms created by the
audience into transparent specimen jars, each labeled with its generation time and
preservation status. These specimens serve as both tangible evidence of certainty and
manifestations of digital uncertainty, existing in a liminal state between the virtual and the
real.
Within the exhibition, these specimens are neither the result of rigorous scientific
experiments nor bound by strict biological principles. Instead, they emerge through audience
interaction, their forms randomly generated, while their survival depends entirely on human
choice. This inherent instability calls into question the very act of archiving, in the absence of
an original standard, what exactly are we preserving? And why do we choose to preserve it?
Are the digital life forms that remain truly more deserving of existence than those that were
discarded? Perhaps the significance of archiving lies not in validating an object's worth, but
in the act of selection itself. Archiving is not merely about preserving the past; it is also a
mechanism that actively shapes the future.

23

Fig. 15. Xuemei Zhou, 0.5 in Limbo, 2025. Immersive interactive installation exhibited at Everything Vibrates:
MFA 2025 Thesis Exhibition, featuring a glove box, rear projection film, PEVA curtain, UV-cured resin, yarn,
and specimen jars.

24

Lab Report: Final Analysis
As I gazed at the life forms preserved in specimen jars, I realized they were not merely the
outcome of interaction, but material traces of an ongoing negotiation between the digital and
the physical throughout this creative journey. The moment the exhibition ended did not feel
like a conclusion—it marked the beginning of another prolonged, uncertain state. These
preserved experimental results will continue to exist and evolve in their own way, much like
real scientific experiments, whose impact extends far beyond the moment of observation.

Fig. 16. Xuemei Zhou, 0.5 in Limbo, 2025. Installation detail from Everything Vibrates: MFA 2025 Thesis
Exhibition, showing the interactive center and surrounding specimen shelves under colored ambient lighting.

It was within this sense of continuity that I began to reassess the role of the viewer and their
behavior throughout the exhibition. I never intended to present the system as an entirely open
or free space. Instead, I designed predetermined structures to guide viewer participation,
using footprint stickers and instruction labels (Fig.17) to suggest a specific sequence of
interaction and movement through the space. Still, at the exhibition site, some viewer
behaviors were truly unexpected: some skipped all interactive steps and walked directly to
the specimen shelves; some viewers simply observed without engaging; others left personal
marks using stickers, doodles, or other means. At first, these deviations made me want to

25

correct them. But eventually, I chose not to eliminate these unpredictable elements, instead
embracing them as part of the work.

Fig. 17. Xuemei Zhou, 0.5 in Limbo, 2025. Instructional elements used to guide viewer participation, including
footprint stickers leading into the installation and a step-by-step interaction guide posted on a central column.
Exhibited at Everything Vibrates: MFA 2025 Thesis Exhibition.

Each viewer’s divergence reminded me that the meaning of the work goes far beyond the
structure I had envisioned. The tension between control and freedom isn’t something to be
resolved—it’s meant to be experienced. It is in these unscripted actions that moments of
structural looseness and boundary permeability emerge organically, evoking a sense of
porosity. This wasn’t a planned strategy but rather a crack revealed in practice—one of the
most valuable aspects I’ve come to cherish in the process.

Fig. 18. Viewers engaging with the interactive installation behind transparent curtains. Part of Everything
Vibrates: MFA 2025 Thesis Exhibition.

26

During installation, I also realized there were many technical details that needed refinement.
For example, the projection setup was initially intended to create a holographic-like
interaction, but the use of transparent rear-projection film was heavily affected by ambient
lighting, which reduced visual clarity and left floating shadows on the wall (Fig.16). While I
personally found these ghostly visuals strangely appealing, from an interaction perspective,
switching to black rear-projection film and adding a light-blocking layer above might better
control lighting and focus.
In addition, the white background of the interactive interface also felt visually disruptive in
the darkened environment, interrupting the spatial flow. In future versions, I plan to remove it
and let the imagery blend more organically into the space.
Meanwhile, the transparent curtain was originally intended to evoke a clean room atmosphere
and enhance the sense of experimentation. However, the initial version was too short and
wrinkled, diminishing its visual impact. Replacing it later with a full roll of poly sheeting
improved the result, but if the work is exhibited again, I will reconsider whether the curtain is
necessary at all—perhaps a fully open, unwrapped space would allow the laboratory concept
to feel lighter and more fluid.

Fig. 19. Viewer-generated digital organisms preserved in labeled specimen jars. Part of Everything Vibrates:
MFA 2025 Thesis Exhibition.

During the defense, as I described the life forms that had been printed, labeled, and sealed in
specimen jars, the term “digital fossil” slipped out unexpectedly. Originally meant to describe
the transformation of data into physical form, the phrase caught the committee’s interest and
prompted a brief but curious discussion. This made me reflect on whether “digital fossil”
might be more than a passing metaphor—perhaps even a conceptual framework worth further
exploration in future artistic research. It embodies traces of the act of viewing and, in material

27

form, reminds us how choices within digital systems can be historicized, seen, and even
reinterpreted.

Fig. 20. Xuemei Zhou, 0.5 in Limbo, 2025. Detailed views of internal structures within specimen jars. Part of
Everything Vibrates: MFA 2025 Thesis Exhibition

Based on feedback from viewers and the committee, when there is another opportunity to
exhibit 0.5 in Limbo, I will to incorporate more sensory dimensions—such as temperature
fluctuations, nonlinear soundscapes, and even changes in scent or humidity—to enhance the
viewer’s spatial perception. I will continue exploring ways to open the database, transforming
the laboratory from a static exhibition into a dynamic system that can be accessed, altered,
and reconstructed. Ideally, this would realize the project’s decentralized, ever-evolving
nature, and will involve research and development of a suitable technical approach to achieve
this.
In a broader sense, this project has become a way for me to make sense of the world—not by
offering fixed answers, but by creating new ways of seeing and experiencing the familiar.
Perhaps this is where 0.5 in Limbo finds its meaning: not in producing enduring objects, but
in generating a field of experience—a space where new meanings continuously emerge. In
this perpetually unfolding structure, every viewer becomes part of the creation, and every

28

interaction is an unfinished sentence. Meaning is not found in stable outcomes, but in what
occurs through uncertainty and grows in the cracks. 0.5 in Limbo does not aim to provide
answers to the world—this work invites us into an open-ended process, where each
participation becomes a new beginning.

29

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Parikka, Jussi, et al. The Lab Book: Situated Practices in Media Studies. University of
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