CityU brings Dunhuang masterpieces to life at Hong Kong Book Fair

“Pure Land: Inside the Mogao Grottoes at Dunhuang,” a creative media project jointly presented by the Applied Laboratory of Interactive Visualization and Embodiment (ALiVE) of City University of Hong Kong (CityU), the Dunhuang Academy and the Friends of Dunhuang, is being exhibited at the Hong Kong Book Fair between 17–23 July, showcasing 2D and 3D animation works of the magnificent cave art of Dunhuang.

The art of Dunhuang is one of the themes of this year’s book fair, organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, and the exhibition is one of the most popular events. The quota of 4,000 visitors for advanced registration at the exhibition was filled quickly.

“Pure Land: Inside the Mogao Grottoes at Dunhuang” is a project developed by 30 experts from various fields over a six-month period, using more than 7,000 high resolution photos of the north wall of Cave 220 in Dunhuang, advanced virtual reality technology, and digital audio and video effects.

Immersed in a large 360-degree panoramic projection theatre at the Art Gallery, viewers feel as if they are actually inside the cave thousands miles away viewing the paintings in real life. Visitors found the experience highly enjoyable, with many people queuing up for admission on the first day of the exhibition.

The display system, called Advanced Visualization and Interaction Environment (AVIE), is capable of accommodating the large size of the exhibition and the seamless 3D projection process. With the aid of a virtual torch and virtual magnifying glass, visitors can simulate the movement of torch light in the cave and zoom in on the painted surface of the murals to see details in ultra-high resolution.