生之曼陀羅  Kaleidoscope of the Universes
創作年份：2015 - 2016

佛教中的曼陀羅是僧侶冥想的工具，由僧侶細心地使用彩色的沙堆積出幾何對稱而複雜的天圓地方圖形，而在完成之後短時間內銷毀。曼陀羅圖像象徵了整個宇宙與芸芸眾生，是創作曼陀羅的人自身的映射、也是他周遭所有事物的映射。而傳統的曼陀羅用傳統的技術，反映著古老的世界觀。我總是思考著那麼在現在的世界觀下，在幾千年來對於生命的疑問與價值是否有所改變？

在古老的過去，人們相信世界有神，神靈是巨大的存在，同時當時的人們不知道在我們眼睛所不能見的尺度之下還有千千萬萬層世界。一直到了近代科技發展，我們才開始意識到在肉眼看不見的世界中，還有許許多多微小微生物在生活著。二十世紀我們討論電腦、數位、工業製造，而生物科技與量子物理是二十一世紀最重要的科技，其無外乎就是對於更微小的元件、更複雜的系統擁有更高度的操縱度，並且將世界萬物、包含生命體，作為我們建構工業的材料。而我們是否能重新檢視當今人類對與宇宙萬物的認識、人類與微生物之間的溝通，將這個古老儀式重塑？

計劃分成三部分：繪製工具、儀式、冥想。使用電子控制的微生物印表機、並且取得各種不同的微生物、製作畫布（養微生物的培養基）並且接上腦電波裝置到中央控制系統中。「儀式」是重新設計排練一套使用這個裝置冥想的過程，透過「繪製工具」重塑一個會自我消長的宇宙。「冥想」則是這個作品的表演部分，每一次曼陀羅的繪製都是一次內觀經驗，而每次繪製出的曼陀羅都將有不同的結果。這部分將被拍攝，並且每一次印出的曼陀羅將會被保存並讓其自然生長。冥想將不間段的在幾周內執行，而最後每一個生長的曼陀羅都將成為每個階段冥想的記錄。

Credits:
此計畫由國立美術館、台北市文化局、西班牙LABoral Centro de Arte y Creación Industrial、西班牙Industrias ROKO贊助。

3D印表機軟硬體設計：Luis Diaz、David Pello、Fablab Asturias、LABoral Centro de Arte y Creación Industrial

3D印表機軟硬體顧問：黃敏書 Xioneer Systems

微生物技術顧問：慈濟大學陳俊堯老師環境微生物研究室、交通大學潘承宗

In Buddhism, mandala is the painting representing the universe/cosmos. The word originates from Sanskrit, which means “cosmogram” or “world in harmony.” For Tibetan tantric Buddhism, the mandala is drawn by monks using colourful sand during a ritual, and immediately destroyed when  the image is finished as the closure of the ritual. The mandala symbolises all the living creatures and the gods, the origin of universe, and its immediate destruction signifies the impermanence of existence. The mandala mirrors how the creators of the mandala understand the world, an image of the universe that was apparent to the people living back in the time.

In ancient times, people believed the there were spirits in the world. Spirits were enormous beings. Back then, people didn’t know there are other ‘worlds’ at the scale our bare eyes cannot see. Even though Blake once wrote “To see the world in a grain of sand” in his poem, it was only the abstract understanding of the unseen world. Only until rather recently did we start to realise there are billions and billions of small microorganisms living in this unseen world.

On the other hand, the deeply western-rooted ‘Science’ makes people believe that technologies allow human beings to control everything. In the 20th century we talked about digital, computers, and industrial manufacturing. In the 21st century, biotechnology and quantum physics have become the new buzzwords. We start to talk about biocomputers, synthetic biology, quantum computers and the quantum phenomenons within the living things. It is the hyper-control of everything, all of which we see as the material of industrial manufacturing.

And I cannot help but wonder what a modern mandala will be like. How can the mandala reflect our relationship and our projection of the universe nowadays?

The project can be divided into three major parts: 1) the tool for drawing, 2) the ritual, and 3) the performance of meditation. The tool for drawing is a microorganism printer controlled by brainwave meditation, along with a ‘canvas’ (growth medium) for the microbes. The ritual is to redesign a process for using this ‘drawing machine’ for meditation. The spiritual purification of incense becomes the actual sterilisation of a microbiological protocol. The third part - Meditation - is the performative part. Each mandala that is drawn is one reflective experience, and each time the result is different. This part will be filmed, and the mandalas will be kept and grown. This performance will be continuously performed throughout a few weeks. In the end, the growing mandalas will be the record of the meditation.

Credits:
Sponsor by NTMOFA, Taipei City Government- Department of Cultural Affairs, LABoral Centro de Arte y Creación Industrial, Industrias ROKO

3D Printer Software & Hardware Design: Luis Díaz, David Pello, Fablab Asturias, LABoral Centro de Arte y Creación Industrial

3D Printer Software & Hardware Consultant: MinShu Huang, Xioneer Systems

Microbiology Consultants: 慈濟大學陳俊堯老師環境微生物研究室, 交通大學潘承宗