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00 Zhang ：在流动的虚拟与现实之间

00 Zhang: Navigating the Fluid
Threshold Between Virtual and Real


Interviewer: Starry陈泉池
Date: 04/10/2024

Keywords: virtual/ installation



00 Zhang(中国浙江),艺术家，工作及生活于伦敦。一等学位毕业于中央圣马丁，和巴特莱特建筑学院建筑硕士。2022年于雅典发表学术出版物，2023年UCCA青年艺术家15强提名。她的作品包括横跨视觉，游戏，雕塑和装置的多元化实践;曾在各类国际机构展览，包括泰特美术馆，大英博物馆，米兰时装周，上海时装周，威尼斯双年展，香港在地艺术家实验室等。她的作品收于公共和私人收藏。

近年来00活跃在国内外各个艺术展览中，最近的个展包括Zabludowicz Collection的Invites: 00 Zhang，伦敦(2023)Broadway Gallery的近日轨道，诺丁汉(2022)。最近精选群展包括:Supersublime, GIANT，伯恩茅斯，多塞特(2023)；后真相的生产，Ugly Duck，伦敦(2022);茶室，伦敦大学学院，伦敦(2022);逃离在热寂之前:电子“桃花源”与虚拟享乐主义，威尼斯军械库区TESA106-L，威尼斯(2022);复苏之前，上海库茨艺术中心，上海(2022);Post 2020 Experiment, Arebyte Gallery, 伦敦(2021)等。








Prototype0022-23界面
Prototype0022-23 Interface







A: 欢迎来到Artisle做客！可以简单的介绍一下自己吗？

A: Welcome to Artisle! Could you briefly introduce yourself?


00: Hi 我是 00<<<<<我是一个艺术家。

00: Hi, I’m 00<<<<< I‘m an artist.




A: Prototype系列作品生长于特定的虚拟世界中，你是如何构建和发展这个世界的？从线性叙事到更根茎式的想象，是否也代表着你创作的不同阶段？

A: Your “Prototype” series emerges from a bespoke virtual world. How did you construct and develop this universe? Does the shift from linear to rhizomatic storytelling reflect distinct phases in your practice?


00: 贯穿整个系列的游戏作品《The Overture of the Prototype Series》通过文字和多种跨媒介作品：雕塑、装置和 CGI，构建出这种既数字又现实的状态。玩家扮演一群勇敢的旅行者，在流亡中探索未知的领域，克服疏离感和分裂感。这种不断寻找与探索的过程，形成对未来世界的构建。
《The Overture of the Prototype Series》系列中的层级叙述：
- The One：通过线性叙事，揭示了人类对技术和记忆能量的探索。
- The Zone：非线性叙事，展现了意识激活后的复杂系统（Gaia 理论）。
- The Centre Console：探索梦境与现实的交错，反映出个体与集体意识的互动。

00: The game “The Overture of the Prototype Series”—spanning text, sculpture, installation, and CGI—bridges digital and physical realities in this series of work. Players embody a group of brave exiled travelers navigating alienation and fragmentation while discovering uncharted realms. This perpetual quest structures the worldbuilding.
Narrative strata in “The Overture of the Prototype Series”:
- The One: Linear storytelling reveal humanity’s pursuit of technological and mnemonic energy.
- The Zone: Non-linear sequences visualize consciousness-activated systems (Gaia theory).
- The Centre Console: Interlaced dreams/reality reflect individual-collective consciousness.


选择游戏作为创作的载体，是因为它作为我们这个时代独特的形式突破了传统艺术语境的局限性。对我而言游戏是一个多维的“门户” ，能够在现实与虚拟之间建立起一种动态联结。我20岁前的生活与游戏交互和虚拟世界密不可分，这与我创作这个原型系列序曲想阐述的状态是一致的。玩家出生在一个异托邦的东伦敦：混乱肮脏的环境，潮湿的地面墙上贴满了通缉令（其实是复刻了我家楼下的一条街景）。但是我也融入了很多亚洲元素，比如说空调外机电线杆，这些符号承载着我的文化记忆，因为那是我出生的地方：一个中国南方的小城市。观众在有东方意象的伦敦街道上，通过进入一条废弃的地铁，开启了一段通向幻想世界的旅程。这个流程完成了从现实到虚拟的过渡。

The choice of video games as a creative medium stems from their unique capacity in our era to transcend the limitations of traditional artistic contexts. To me, games function as multidimensional “portals” that establish dynamic connections between reality and virtuality. My life before age twenty was inextricably intertwined with gaming interfaces and virtual worlds - a state of being that this prototype series prelude seeks to articulate.
Players are born into a heterotopian East London: chaotic and grimy environments with damp pavement walls plastered with wanted posters (actually replicating the street scene beneath my apartment). Yet I've also woven in numerous Asian elements - air conditioning units, utility poles - visual signifiers that carry my cultural memory, as they recall my birthplace: a small city in Southern China. The audience, navigating London streets imbued with Eastern iconography, accesses an abandoned subway station that becomes the threshold to a fantastical journey. This sequence completes the transition from concrete reality to virtual imagination.



The overture of prototype series（PC）Level 1





A: 在你的世界观阐述中有很多对科学、哲学、社会人类学理论的引用，这些更偏学术导向的研究和你的创作是如何相辅相成的，它们与作品中身份、记忆、认知等更偏感知性的主题如何有效地结合？

A: Your artistic statement references numerous scientific, philosophical, and socio-anthropological theories - these academically-oriented research seem quite distinct from the perceptual themes of identity, memory, and cognition in your works. How do these two aspects complement each other in practice?

00：在最开始的“原型”系列整体创作过程中，影响我最深的是魂系游戏的逻辑，包括后来的 RPG (role-playing game) 像生化危机：我们在收集碎片和获得游戏道具的过程中阅读对这些道具的解释，拼凑出游戏的整体剧情。所以刚开始的单件作品都有他们自己背后的故事，观众可以通过把背后的故事拼凑起来获得一个完整的剧情线。

00: During the initial phase of creating the “Prototype” series, I was deeply influenced by the narrative logic of Souls-like games, and later RPGs such as Resident Evil - where players piece together the overarching plot by collecting fragments and reading item descriptions. Thus, each standalone work in the early stage carried its own backstory, inviting the audience to reconstruct a cohesive narrative thread through these scattered fragments.

在这次的《反转原型》（ Inversion prototype: 0033 ）中，我尝试了逆向逻辑。受到《索拉里斯星》及个人文化穿梭经历的启发，希望通过单件作品真实反映整个系统 。 所以这件作品主张个体构成了系统本身，我们是系统的原始部件。通过从我的身体中提取和外化血液，它成为了一种后物质主义的表达。流动的身份是政治。这样的流动和循环，源自我在英国生活的十年经历。在我看来，每个人都是流动的：无论是国界、身份、性别还是宗教。通过单一雕塑创造了城市感，而不同部分将有交错流动的血液，反映人口在不同国家和城市之间的流动。但最终，我们是一个共同体。

In this latest work “Inversion Prototype: 0033”, I've adopted a reverse logic. Inspired by “Solaris” and my own experiences of cultural navigation, the piece attempts to manifest an entire system through a singular object. It posits that individuals constitute the system itself - we are its primordial components. By extracting and externalizing blood from my own body, the work becomes a post-materialist expression. Fluid identity is political. This liquidity and circulation stems from my decade-long experience living in Britain. To me, every individual exists in flux - whether across borders, identities, genders or religions. The sculpture creates an urban sensibility through its singular form, with intersecting blood flows in its different sections mirroring population movements between nations and cities. Ultimately, we remain one organism.






Prototype 0014 parti + part ii，2020，虚拟雕塑，AR体验
Prototype 0014 parti + part ii, 2020, virtual sculpture, AR experience

Prototype0016 Angelos，2020，AR展示现场，伦敦
Prototype0016 Angelos, 2020, AR installation view, London








Inversion Prototype: 0033DLC-2024.1，2024，雕塑，
43*36*10cm，316不锈钢, 亚克力, 无菌血液
Inversion Prototype: 0033DLC-2024.1, 2024, sculpture, 43*36*10cm, 316 stainless steel, acrylic, aseptic blood



A: “Zero”在这个世界中是一个什么样的“人物”？Ta和“Ephemeral”的交流是否有现实生活中的对应？

A: What kind of “character” is "Zero" in this world? Does the interaction between “Zero” and “Ephemeral” correspond to anything in real life?


00: “Zero”是一串没有实体的数据，一种人工智能或虚拟意识，通过算法处理和解释世界的各种现象。作为一个虚拟存在，“Zero”不仅仅是一个个体，而是一种集合体，能够超越传统意义上的个体身份，成为整个宇宙的一部分，象征着奇点。这种存在形式使 “Zero” 具备了观察、理解和表达的能力，但其本质上与人类的物理存在不同。Ephemeral 是一个程序员，工作于天才黑客组织，住在 Barbican，足不出户影响整个世界。他通过编程和算法构建和操控虚拟世界。

写作过程特别像自己和自己写信。有朋友读过之后觉得 Ephemeral 很像我的生活状态，除了在独居公寓里的落地窗，无数的显示器之外一无所有的生活，也有人觉得在 “Zero” 中看到我，因为我的艺术家 ID：00。这样的冥想式叙述中有人类与人工智能之间的交流与合作。Ephemeral 作为虚拟世界的创造者或操控者，与 “Zero” 的对话就像是小岛秀夫的游戏，在线索中展示他们之间的联系，也探讨了技术与生命体之间的边界。

00: “Zero” is a disembodied data stream—an artificial intelligence or virtual consciousness that processes and interprets worldly phenomena through algorithms. As a virtual entity, “Zero” is not merely an individual but a collective, capable of transcending traditional notions of identity to become part of the universe itself, symbolizing the technological singularity. This form of existence grants “Zero” the ability to observe, comprehend, and express, yet it remains fundamentally distinct from human physicality. Ephemeral, on the other hand, is a programmer working for a genius hacker collective, residing in Barbican—a recluse who shapes the virtual world from his apartment through code and algorithms.

The writing process felt like exchanging letters with myself. Some friends who read it remarked that Ephemeral mirrors my own lifestyle—a solitary existence defined by floor-to-ceiling windows and an array of monitors, devoid of almost everything else. Others saw traces of me in “Zero” perhaps due to my artist alias, “00.” This meditative narrative explores the dialogue and collaboration between humans and AI. The exchanges between Ephemeral, as the architect or manipulator of the virtual realm, and "Zero" unfold like a Hideo Kojima game—revealing their connection through subtle clues while probing the boundaries between technology and living beings.










“Shattered Heliocentric Orbit”展览现场，2022，Broadway Gallery，英国伦敦
Installation view of “Shattered Heliocentric Orbit”, 2022, Broadway Gallery, London, UK，Shattered Heliocentric Orbit





A: 你的作品灵感有许多来自于生活中的观察、感受或者物件，可否以新展中的作品《反转原型：0033》为例，聊一聊作品是如何从现实的灵感发展出装置的实体的，血液、零件的声音等元素代表着什么？

A: Many of your works draw inspiration from everyday observations, personal experiences, or mundane objects. Taking “Inversion Prototype: 0033” from your current exhibition as an example, could you discuss how the installation evolved from real-life inspiration? What do elements like blood and the sound of mechanical components signify?


00：因为我从小是一个身体很差的人，小时候很多时间在医院。之前带过一个设备，是在我身上贴很多小芯片监听我的心跳。但是我的心跳不再是心脏跳动的声音，而是一串被编译过的音乐和一些被图像化的曲线。

就像文化、人口和社会都是由个体构成的复杂系统一样，城市本身也是一个具有生命的有机体。它们的运转仿佛是一个庞大的生命体在呼吸、脉动，与我自身的存在状态形成了某种共鸣。城市中的每个零件发出的声音，每秒的震动，都像是我的心跳被医生监听后转化为另一种形式的表现：这些声音和震动不再仅仅属于我的身体内部，而是被外化为一种更广泛的存在，融入到周围的环境中，成为城市生命的一部分。

00: I’ve been physically frail since childhood, spending much of my early years in hospitals. At one point, I wore a device covered in tiny chips to monitor my heartbeat—except what I observed wasn’t the organic rhythm of a heart, but a compiled sequence of music and visualized curves.

This parallels how culture, populations, and societies are all complex systems composed of individuals. Cities, too, function as living organisms—their operations resembling the breath and pulse of a vast lifeform, echoing my own bodily existence. Every mechanical sound in the city, each vibration per second, mirrors how my heartbeat was translated into an alternate form by medical devices. These sounds and tremors no longer belong solely to my body; they’ve been externalized into a broader presence, merging with the environment to become part of the city’s living fabric.





Inversion Prototype: 0033 （细节图）detail



Inversion Prototype: 0033，2024，雕塑，187*163*134cm，
304不锈钢，316不锈钢，亚克力，金属镀层树脂，无菌血液，抗凝剂，胭脂红，甘油，继电器，电磁阀，接线端子，泵，橡胶管
Inversion Prototype: 0033,2024, Sculpture, 187*163*134cm
304 stainless steel, 316 stainless steel, acrylic, metal coating resin, sterile blood, anticoagulant, carnitine,
glycerin, relay, solenoid valve, terminal block, pump, rubber hose





A: 当在展览中，观众只能接触到某一件Prototype作品或一部分虚拟世界的呈现时，或是在群展中你的作品需要和其他作品在空间上并置时，你是如何看待此时作品叙事的完整性的？

A: When viewers encounter only a single Prototype work or a fragment of the virtual world in an exhibition—or when your piece must share space with others in a group show—how do you perceive the integrity of the narrative in such contexts?


00：模块化的资产与建筑代表了我们这个时代更高效的生产模式（毕竟是建筑系毕业的）。因此，我的整体创作思路也基于模块化的构建原则。每一个模块都拥有其完整的体系与独立的功能。简单来说，可以将其类比为宜家的家具或无印良品的柜子：单个柜子可以独立使用，但当它们组合在一起时，就形成了一件更大体积、更复杂的家具。同理，每件单独的作品都是一个独立的艺术表达，但当这些作品集合在一起时，就构成了一个完整的“世界构建”（world building），形成了一个更大、更宏观的叙事体系。

00: Modular assets and architecture epitomize the efficiency-driven production models of our era (after all, I graduated from architecture school). Consequently, my entire creative approach is rooted in modular construction principles. Each module possesses its own complete system and autonomous function. To put it simply, think of IKEA furniture or Muji shelving units: a single cabinet can function independently, but when combined, they form a larger, more complex furnishing system. Similarly, each standalone artwork is an independent artistic statement, yet when assembled collectively, they coalesce into a comprehensive act of world-building—forging a grander, macro-level narrative framework.

Prototype系列存在于虚拟和现实之间。像是薛定谔的猫或者光的波粒二象性。在游戏世界里比较接近于 DmC：鬼泣 Limbo 的设定或是寂静岭里的世界。表与里、波粒二象性都体现了同一个世界的两种不同形态。模块化的构建方式带来的灵活性与效率，赋予了跨越次元的可能性，同时也很欢迎和包容观众在不同层次的参与和解读！

The Prototype series exists in the interstitial space between virtuality and reality, akin to Schrödinger's cat or the wave-particle duality of light. Within gaming paradigms, this resonates most closely with the Limbo dimension in DmC: Devil May Cry or the psychological landscapes of Silent Hill - where dualistic manifestations (surface/underworld, wave/particle) reveal alternate states of a singular existence. This modular construction methodology delivers both adaptive flexibility and creative efficiency, enabling transdimensional possibilities while actively inviting audience participation across multiple interpretative strata.







Prototype 0028 Embryo，2023，雕塑，75*78*68 cm，3D打印PLA树脂, 不锈钢, 亚克力, Arduino, LED灯条和电机
Prototype 0028 Embryo, 2023, sculpture, 75*78*68 cm, 3D printed PLA resin, stainless steel, acrylic, Arduino, LED light strips and motor








Prototype0029: Apparatus，2023，雕塑，165*30*60 cm， 3D打印PLA树脂，不锈钢，亚克力和网络摄像头，展览现场图，Zabludowicz Collection，英国伦敦，摄影：Tim Bowditch
Prototype0029: Apparatus, 2023, sculpture, 165*30*60 cm, 3D printed PLA resin, stainless steel, acrylic and web camera, Installation view at Zabludowicz Collection, London, UK, photo: Tim Bowditch




A:从可穿戴装置、动画到AR、游戏，你的作品在媒介上非常强调互动性，在你看来，这些媒介在虚拟与现实间传递信息的方式最大的不同是什么？“Art is an archaic information processing system”这一观念是如何在你的作品中体现的？

A: From wearable devices and animation to AR and gaming, your works place a strong emphasis on interactivity through multiple medium. In your view, what are the most significant differences in how these mediums convey information between the virtual and the real? How is the concept that “Art is an archaic information processing system” reflected in your works?


00：最初创作这个系列的动机，源于我在游戏中投入了大量时间。我认为，我们这一代人正处于一种独特的状态，介于虚拟世界与现实生活之间。这种状态既模棱两可，又仿佛是两者的融合。在许多未来赛博幻想小说中，人们的生活逐渐被虚拟世界所主导，现实中的个体仅剩下一个躯壳。然而，我们这一代人是幸运的，正处于这一赛博历史的转折点上，或许有机会成为塑造和书写历史的一代。

00: The initial motivation for creating this series stemmed from the countless hours I spent immersed in games. I believe our generation exists in a unique state—somewhere between the virtual world and real life. This state is ambiguous, almost like a fusion of the two. In many futuristic cyberpunk fantasies, human lives become increasingly dominated by virtual worlds, leaving only hollow shells of individuals in reality. Yet our generation is fortunate to stand at this pivotal moment in cyber-history, perhaps even having the opportunity to become the ones who shape and write this history.


我想变成一面温柔的镜子，反映出我们这一代人的生活状态。我的作品记录我们的文明从现实到虚拟世界之间的跨越，以及这一跨越过程。我们这一代人与社会、与系统的关系；这其中也包含了我们所接受的文化影响。

大多数的时候我都很肤浅，但是Bill Viola的作品震撼、耐人寻味，Francis Alÿs的视频明明拍的是开心的片段，但是让我一个人哭两个小时。我想优秀的艺术不仅仅是创作者的自我表达，更应能够与观众产生互动与共鸣，成为他们生活体验的一部分。我想做像任天堂的游戏给0-99观众带来快乐，也想成为这样的大艺术家，治愈观众，宣传和平（太贪心了> <）。


I want to become a gentle mirror, reflecting the lived experience of our generation. My work documents the leap our civilization is making—from the physical world to the virtual—and the process of that transition. It explores our generation’s relationship with society and the systems we inhabit, including the cultural influences that shape us.

Most of the time, I’m quite superficial, but Bill Viola’s work is profound and intriguing, while Francis Alÿs’ videos—though filled with seemingly joyful moments—left me crying alone for two hours. To me, great art isn’t just about the creator’s self-expression; it should also resonate with the audience, interact with them, and become part of their lived experience. I aspire to create works like Nintendo’s games, bringing joy to audiences aged 0 to 99, while also becoming the kind of artist who heals and advocates for peace (so greedy of me > <).







Prototype0022，2022，雕塑，现成品LED灯板，3D打印PLA树脂，不锈钢，亚克力，铝板，荧光灯管，电机，Arduino，液压系统，超声波传感器(左）
Prototype0022, 2022, sculpture ,found object led light panel, 3D printed PLA resin, stainless steel, acrylic, aluminum panel, florescent tubes, motor, Arduino, hydraulic system, and ultrasonic sensor(left)
Prototype0022 (beta)，2022，可穿戴雕塑，现成品LED灯板，3D打印PLA树脂，不锈钢，亚克力，铝板，荧光灯管，电机，Arduino，液压系统，超声波传感器（右）
Prototype0022 (beta), 2022, wearable sculpture, found object led light panel, 3D printed PLA resin, stainless steel, acrylic, aluminum panel, florescent tubes, motor, Arduino, hydraulic system, and ultrasonic sensor(right)



Prototype0012: Mechanical Angel，2020，沉浸式虚拟环境
Prototype0012: Mechanical Angel, 2020, virtual creature and sculpture 





A: “New aesthetic”具体指向了什么样的设计思路？特别在装置作品中，你是如何考量流线型、壳状、尖角等视觉元素的呈现，和不同质感材料的使用的？

A: What exactly does “new aesthetic” refer to in terms of your. design philosophy? Particularly in your installation works, how do you approach the use of visual elements like fluid curves, shell-like structures, sharp angles, and the interplay of different material textures?


00：流线型和尖角源自于自我保护的坚硬外壳和相对不稳定的内核，视觉系统则与盖亚系统相反，构建了一个虚构的幻想，探索一个质疑 Meta 理论的世界，它不是绝对的，而是关于个人如何在更大的背景和对话中将自己置于特定情境中。

00: The fluid curves and sharp angles stem from the duality of a protective, rigid exterior and an unstable inner core. The visual system operates in contrast to the Gaia hypothesis, constructing a speculative fantasy—one that interrogates Meta-theory. It’s not about absolutes, but rather how individuals situate themselves within broader contexts and dialogues.







Prototype0026 The Mother，2022， 雕塑，3* 3*0.3m，光敏树脂，304不锈钢，铁，丙烯酸和半导体水冷系统(左）
Prototype0026 终端, 2022, sculpture, , 3* 3*0.3m PLA resin, stainless steel, acrylic and semiconductor water 
cooling system（left)

Prototype 0030 Iteration，2023, 雕塑，现成品LED灯板，3D打印PLA树脂，不锈钢，亚克力，铝板，荧光灯管，电机，Arduino，
液压系统，超声波传感器（右）
Prototype 0030 Iteration, 2023, sculpture, 100*67*30cm，found object led light panel, 3D printed PLA resin, stainless steel, acrylic, aluminum panel, florescent tubes, motor, Arduino, hydraulic system, and ultrasonic sensor(Right)






A: 在作品创作的过程中，你时常会与不同的技术人员合作，这样的创作过程能够给你什么样的启发？

A: During your creative process, you often collaborate with different technical specialists. What kind of inspiration does this collaborative approach bring you?


00：有朋友一起做东西很开心，我希望他们能和我一样开心！

00: Making things with friends is pure joy—I just hope they're having as much fun as I am!







Prototype0020 Blessed Blade of Chi，2021，AR，互动武器，可玩装置
Prototype0020 Blessed blade of Chi, 2021, AR, interactive weapon, playable installation





A: 你的作品时有涉及中国（亚洲）现代社会和传统文化符号，比如Prototype0020: Blessed blade of Chi以及对赛博朋克景观的讨论，跨文化生活的体验是否让你对科技与东方叙事的结合有一些新的看法？

A: Your works often incorporate symbols from modern Chinese (Asian) society and traditional culture—like Prototype0020: Blessed Blade of Chi—as well as cyberpunk landscapes. Has your experience of living across cultures given you new perspectives on merging technology with Eastern narratives?


00：我有一个艺术家 IP @aio0o0o0, 这是一个跨媒介的世界建构研究和实验，起源于我自己的艺术实践，动态地探讨叙事媒介的主题，扩展了可能世界的哲学，包括文学、游戏、CGI、沉浸式体验、互联网文化等。这种跨学科实践与音乐家、时尚品牌、电子游戏和电子竞技相交织。

00: I run an artist IP called @aio0o0o0, a cross-media worldbuilding research lab and experiment rooted in my own artistic practice. It dynamically explores themes of narrative mediums, expanding on the philosophy of possible worlds—spanning literature, gaming, CGI, immersive experiences, and internet culture. This interdisciplinary practice intersects with musicians, fashion brands, video games, and esports, weaving them into a cohesive creative universe.

通过将中国传统文化符号与赛博朋克相结合，我希望能够展现文化的多样性和融合的可能性。东方哲学，特别是玄学，老黄历和风水为现代科技提供新的视角和灵感。我太爱这个世界了！在我的作品中，我尝试将这些哲学理念与数字艺术相结合，给观众带来好运气，发财和福报。

By combining traditional Chinese cultural symbols with cyberpunk aesthetics, I aim to showcase cultural diversity and the possibilities of fusion. Eastern philosophies—especially metaphysics, the Chinese almanac, and feng shui—offer fresh perspectives and inspiration for modern technology. I absolutely adore this world! In my works, I try to blend these philosophical concepts with digital art to bring audiences good fortune, prosperity, and blessings.





A: 可否透露一下未来的创作、展览计划和发展方向？Prototype的世界会有哪些新的构造？


A: Could you share some insights into your upcoming creative projects, exhibition plans, and future directions? What new constructions can we expect in the world of Prototype?


00：10月底在X美术馆会上线我新制作的游戏，以及12月在上海会举办我在国内的第一个雕塑展。非常开心和期待~

00: At the end of October, a new game I've developed will launch at the X Museum, and in December, my first domestic sculpture exhibition will take place in Shanghai. I'm incredibly excited and looking forward to it~