Golden Shield Project series - Hidden Code is AR installation. This multi-thematic piece was inspired by “Golden Shield Project”, which is the Chinese government’s internet censorship and surveillance project. The New York Times newspapers collected here were blocked by the Golden Shield Project. Some well-known news, some rare news, tells the story hidden behind information filtering in a novel and compelling way.

Creating the AR experience involves a complex back-and-forth between 3D and 2D experiences data collection and information restriction. From the perspective of the 2D visual content of the newspaper, by weaving and knitting of the laser paper strip, the visual montage produces a new language and form in un-linear way which reorganizing the information. The visual effect is of an abstraction that the texture of the simulated mosaic reflects double shielding. Among them, the red woven fabric is the information blocked by the United States (represented by trade restrictions), and the silver woven fabric is the information shielded by China. From the 3D virtual perspective, the AR technology shows the hidden stories behind the blocked information in virtual space.

This project allowed viewer use tablet to access a virtual world that based on AR technology, to reflect the dynamic and visual volume of hidden information. It challenge viewers to think the issue of the network security, information control and authenticity of information form different dimension.