Soorin Shin

Are we even able to imagine a utopian future? What if the answer for humans to overcome anthropocenic devastation lies not in technology nor science, but fundamentally through philosophy?

“4022: Letter to My Daughter” is a sci-fi video game, envisaging a utopian future where the broken relationship between humans and nature is restored. I imagine a world where the dominating Western ideology of our current society (human-nature dualism) is replaced by the ancient Eastern philosophy, Taoism (at peace with nature).

In the Western philosophy, with modern science through the Renaissance, our ability to explore and control nature was consistently glorified and lauded. Conversely, Taoism, famous with its yin and yang symbol, promotes harmonious living with nature through action of non-action (無爲自然). Nature is not to be dominated, explored, or exploited but to be respected equally and allowed to exist as intended.

The video game is set in the 41st century, when humanity has overcome an apocalyptic disaster by following an anonymous Great Philosopher’s wisdom. The story is narrated through a written letter from a mother to her daughter, handing down wisdom from various fables, quoted and modified from the books of two Taoist philosophers, Lao Tzu and Zhuang Zhou.

With “4022: Letter to My Daughter”, I investigate the video game medium as an experimental art form to share the philosophical principles and ideals, as well as challenge the sci-fi genre, expanding its imaginative future to a diverse and fluid eco-feminist perspective.

Soorin Shin

Soorin Shin is a visual artist based in Glasgow, working with 3D printing, new media and installation art. Her work is deeply rooted in her East Asian female identity and eco-feminist ideal. She is fascinated by nature's depiction in Korean historical and cultural artefacts, especially those related to women. She explores the ambiguous border between the digital and the physical worlds, interrogating the relationship between technology and nature.

Born 1993 in Incheon, South Korea, she is now based in Glasgow founding Wobbly Digital, 3D printing & digital studio in 2021, after obtaining a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Hons) in Sculpture & Environmental Art from the Glasgow School of Art in 2020. Previously she studied Design at the Design Academy Eindhoven, and Media Design at the Dongduk women's university. Recently, she participated in the Convention House residency 2022 at the East Street Arts, Leeds and exhibited at the Hidden Door Festival 2023, Edinburgh.