Visual Activism in the Digital Space.
Meta Paper Meta Lifestyle Magazine｜ Meta Citizens
Creative Director of e-ternity official
Artist at OUTPUT, China
Guest Lecturer& Alumni Mentor at Royal College of Art
Guest Lecturer at Istituto Marangoni
Guest Lecturer at London College of Fashion
Jiang is a visual artist based in London. With a background in Graphic and Digital Fashion design, his design philosophy has always been true to sculpting a narrative. He observes the collisions between aspects of daily life, focusing on social and environmental issues. His work centers around creating digital characters, which often take strange and comedic forms. These characters are placed in virtually crafted spaces to solidify the narrative he creates to share the concepts he is portraying.
Jiang considers himself an earthling and his practice to be visual activism. Focusing on issues such as mental health, animal rights and the environment Jiang endeavors to offer an alternative digital representation of the dilemmas within these areas, to open and continue the conversation of how we can improve the way we all live on this planet as earthlings.
“Cheers”
"After you"
"Crisps"
“Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”
“It’s too bloody hot”
Discomfort
2019
Discomfort displays five life sized prints of digital characters in an abstract and comedic form to give an insight into the often overlooked experiences of discomfort. Each image references parts of cultural and social norms and environmental issues, visually communicating discomforts centered around these topics.
The characters and poses they hold also provide a feeling of discomfort. The exaggerated features and body shapes form strange figures, which also allude to the different discomforts the work explores.
Dilemmas for Earthlings presents a digital campaign within a virtual world exploring different issues that are faced on our planet. The piece includes three layers that focus on social issues, animal rights and environmental issues. Through the use of digital characters and spaces the work acts as visual activism to offer an alternative representation of these dilemmas, proffering the hope of change whilst looking to open a conversation about how we can improve the way we all live on this planet as earthlings.
Layer 3
Social Dilemma
https://www.zongbojiang.com/del-x6f-50-2000000000
DEL>x6F//50<2000000000> presents three digital characters in a virtual landscape exploring the human impact of social media. The work is heavily influenced by the documentary ‘The Social Dilemma’, visualising specific data based around control, truth and digital cleaning; to provoke an awareness and conversation about the darker truths of social media companies.
Connected/Manipulated highlights the influence and control a small group of people from these companies have over billions of people, particularly a younger audience and how their attention is fed back into the companies through advertising, rapidly growing them without concern of the effects on these users.
True/Fake looks further into the concept of control with the information that is shared and presented to users on these platforms. Truth becomes lost with certain information only being shown to specific groups of people and the speed of fake news spreading faster than fact and how this has been used to manipulate people’s decisions, specifically with elections.
Ignore/Delete considers how when exploring the way that we are shown information it is important to consider the things that we don’t see. ‘The Cleaners’ are the underpaid and unseen workers for social media companies who monitor and delete offensive, pornographic and subversive posts on social media sites.
Layer 2
Animal Dilemma
https://www.zongbojiang.com/gulp-rip-buzz-woohoo-wha-psh
Gulp, Rip, Buzz, Woohoo, Wha-psh are a collection of five videos including digital characters which explore the concept of animal welfare. The work is inspired by PETA’s ethos; ‘animals are not ours to experiment on, eat, wear, use for our entertainment or abuse in any other way’. As a form of 'visual activism’ the collection reflects data and research to share the issues in an alternative form, to open a conversation about how we can improve the way animals are treated by us and within these industries.
Rip looks at how animals are treated when obtaining materials for fashion. Referencing not only how animals are slaughtered to meet the demands of the leather industry, but how they are also abused, tortured and sometimes killed for materials such as feathers and wool.
Wha-psh is based on the abuse of animals focusing on the coconut industry in Thailand where there have been reports of monkey labour. The monkey’s are chained and forcibly trained to pick coconuts. They are removed from their habitat, beaten and tortured and made to work for hours to collect coconuts.
Buzz looks at the mistreatment and use of animals in experiments, of which there are more than 9 million animals are experimented on in Europe every year. From cosmetic testing to medical experiments the animals are confined to cages and suffer severe injuries as a result of the tests. The tests range from ‘poison’ tests for chemicals to electrocution.
Woohoo is based on the mistreatment of animals as entertainment, focusing on the ‘tradition’ of bullfighting. The bulls are often isolated in darkness for 48 hours prior to the ‘fight’ to increase their confusion and anguish when they are released into the light of the arena. The bulls are typically physically and mentally drained before they are finally killed.
Gulp references the often unseen or overlooked happenings within the meat and dairy industry. The character references how the animals are overfed to ‘fatten up’ and fast track growth before being killed for meat. Also how dairy cows are refined to tiny spaces, unable to move and turned into milk producing machines. Also referencing how the combination of these problems not only have an effect on the animals, but contributes to the destruction of the environment too.
Buzz looks at the mistreatment and use of animals in experiments, of which more than 9 million animals are experimented on in Europe every year. Two characters are attached to a metal structure as if they are hostage referencing how the animals are trapped and caged in the laboratories. One of the characters focuses on the cosmetic testing on animals, the rabbit- like figure is marked with various colours around its face, it’s eyes are removed and the body is misshapen pointing to the results of this testing on animals. The other character further references the entrapment aspect, the head piece the character wears is reminiscent of equipment used in medical experiments, including electric shocks.
Gulp references the often unseen or overlooked happenings within the meat and dairy industry. The character references how the animals are overfed to ‘fatten up’ and fast track growth before being killed for meat. The central part of the character further shows the excessive size the animals are made to be, there are smaller characters pulling from underneath referring to the demand of these products. The character is positioned on a small surface pointing to the lack of movement the dairy cows are allowed to have throughout their lives. The base of water and soil references how the combination of these problems not only have an effect on the animals, but contributes to the destruction of the environment too.
Rip looks at the treatment of animals when removing their skin or fur to be made into clothes. The character is stretched referencing this idea of removing, the skin is red and blotchy pointing to how the animals are abused and slaughtered to meet the demands of the industry. The smaller characters are on the body removing these materials as the main character is in this stance of trying to escape. Material cascades to the floor from the body as if it’s being torn from the animal to be made into an item of clothing, referencing the mistreatment and torment the animals experience through this process.
Layer 1
Environmental Dilemma
https://www.zongbojiang.com/altered-states
https://www.zongbojiang.com/discomfort
Environmental Dilemma presents two digital characters which explore the effects of global warming. The work is inspired by the documentary ‘Our Planet’ and events such as the Australian fires in 2020. The characters offer an alternative representation of this issue, looking to connect with a wider audience about how the actions in our daily lives can impact the planet on a larger scale.
Plastic Sea
This character explores environmental issues, focusing on the use of plastics and the pollution of the sea. This blend of the unnatural and natural offers an insight into how our lifestyle is changing the planet and having an effect on other earthlings who we share it with.
Heating Up
The inspiration for this character is based around the effects of global warming, specifically referencing the Australian fires from 2020. Furthermore, highlighting how the human impact on our planet is literally causing it to heat up, resulting in events such as these. Referencing these topics, the work asks the viewer to consider the cause and how we can reverse these effects.
Collaboration with Victor Wong @victorwongofficial @itsvictorwong for their SS22 The Timeling Collection for London Fashion Week @londonfashionweek
Creative Director: @itsvictorwong
3D Visual Artist: Zongbo Jiang
VFX: Noize Haus
Edit: @tianxuart
Music: Lazar Liebenberg
Shared Planet
2022
Shared Planet captures a glimpse of the moment in time when the world came to a standstill for humans during lockdown and the environment and wildlife began to thrive. Influenced by the documentary ‘The Year Earth Changed’ the work explores nature’s response to the low human activity during the global lockdown. Looking at wildlife, noise pollution, air and water quality the work acts as ‘visual activism’ to explore global warming, reflecting data and research to share the issues in an alternative form. Furthermore, seeking to open a conversation about how we can identify more harmonious ways for humans and wildlife to co-exist and how this can have a profound impact on nature and give us hope for the future of our planet.
Noise references the effects of the lockdown on noise pollution, particularly in cities. During this time the amount of urban road traffic and city noise was significantly reduced, meaning that the negative impact of noise pollution was lower. Not only referencing the benefits humans experienced due to this activity, the character looks at the impact on animals, particularly communications between birds.
Wildlife focuses on how different species thrived during the global lockdown. Due to the lack of human activity especially in terms of the reduction in travel, the amount of animals killed on the roads was significantly reduced. The lack of tourists and locals visiting coastal locations saw an increase in sea turtles laying eggs on the beaches. The character explores where animals followed their natural instincts and resumed these practices that are often interrupted by human activity.
Water is based on the effects of the global lockdown on water quality and sea life. This short period of restriction in industrial sectors and economic activities offered an opportunity for water quality in seas and rivers to increase. In turn the activity of sea life began to thrive, populations of fish became greater and the lack of water travel decreased the risk of marine animals getting injured.
Air looks at the effects of the global lockdown on air quality during this time. As human activity was at a minimum, the air pollution levels were significantly lower. This resulted in changes in weather, fewer children were developing conditions such as asthma and skylines were clear enough to see sights that hadn’t been seen in decades. The characters comically move and dance as air particles not constricted by pollution in the air, furthermore referencing the freeness to breathe and healthier children in this time.
Menex - Music & Sound Design @dimitris_menex
AR collaboration with @formless.official
Shared Planet x Between Realm in Munich
May 26 - June 30, 2022
Ravyn Lenae - Skin Tight (feat. Steve Lacy) [Official Video]
Director & 3D Artist - Zongbo Jiang
3D Artist - Jiahui Ding
3D Artist - Linyou Xie
Creative Director & Stylist - Jeanie Annan-Lewin
Artist Management - John Bogaard for Terrains
Skin Tight feat. Steve Lacy
Written by Ravyn Lenae, Steve Lacy
Produced by Steve Lacy
Kae Tempest - More Pressure (feat. Kevin Abstract) (Official Video)
Directed by Harris Elliott and Manny Bonett.
3D Visual Artist: Zongbo Jiang
Editor: Manny Bonett
Producer: Amy Foster
Production Company: Lo And Behold Productions Ltd
Footage by Brian William Rogers
Ravyn Lenae Hypnos
Direction & CG: Myself
Creative Director : @jeanieus
3D Garment: @xiaolingjinofficial, Jiahui Ding & Myself
Camera/Post Production: @linyou_xie
Our ocean: the origins of all life, the majority of our Earth's surface, and the meta-birthplace of our June Issue Guest Editor, INFNI+ (codename ∞+). With this week's World Oceans Day as a kick-off point, the #VOGUE➕INFNI➕ guest edit takes a deep dive into the extraordinary lungs of our planet through the lens of China's leading creatives pioneering the virtual world. INFNI+ stokes heated discussions on the role we, as individuals, play in ocean conservation. The first step, as always, is understanding what we stand to lose.
Virtual Fashion by Myself
Powered by @theoutputofficial
Styled by Sid Yahao Sun @sonnenscheinhrz
CGI Design by Cattin Tsai @cattin_tsai
Collaborate with @nicole_vernon
e-ternity is the first phygital platform that focuses on the environment, education, and entertainment. e-ternity stands for the immersive experience, sustainability, and new system.
Applying their expertise in digital, fashion, and technology, they aim to bring protopia to the audience and create the intersection of digital, fashion, and technology in the metaverse and physical world.
Decentraland
Rarible street (-44，70)
24-27 March 2022
The Ultimate Seduction
Metaverse Fashion Week, Decentraland
e-ternity Official x The Immersive Kind
The Ultimate Seduction aims to highlight the plastic Hidden Beneath the Ocean’s Surface, with Nearly 16 Million Tons of Microplastic in our Ocean's. New research shows that the amount of fragments embedded in the seafloor is far more than the plastic floating on the ocean’s surface. With The Ultimate Seduction we want to raise awareness about the pollution in our Ocean's and encourage more sustainable policies and shifts in behavior in how we consume and experience fashion. The Ultimate Seduction asks questions around the role that fashion can play in leaving a lighter footprint on our Planet. We will be a donating a proportion of thd funds from The Ultimate Seduction NFT Collection to Plastic Bank.
"Eternity of Wildlife"
#OnlyOneEarth
In the universe are billions of galaxies, in our galaxy are billions of planets, but there is only one earth. And human activity, the global environment and climate change have left more of the planet's wildlife in limbo.
The whole collection features four different animals and calls on consumers and brands to take action to improve the environment and protect animals by reducing water and energy consumption, waste, pollution and its disastrous effects on ecosystems and animals. To categorise fashion as sustainable, it is important to consider people, animals and nature, whose well-being is closely linked.
Meta Paper
Magazine
Meta Lifestyle Magazine｜ Meta Citizens
Community • Identity • Possibility
<MP01>
The first meta citizen is “MP01”, who loves and cares for other species.
<MP02>
The second meta citizen is "MP02", who is always changing on their journey of self discovery.
<MP03>
The third meta citizen is "MP03", who like to enjoy life and relax.