Zheng Joe Zhou
Island:
A Philosopher's
Walk East
Raised in Zhejiang, China, Zheng was influenced by its rich culture and pursued arts and industrial design education, focusing on 3D and environment concept designs. "The Island: A Philosopher’s Walk East" combines 2D, 3D, and computer science, providing a philosophical experience in an aesthetically designed environment. This space encourages viewers to decelerate and explore their imaginations. Zheng believes industrial software like game engines will revolutionize interactive experiences.
Artist/Thesis Statement
Zheng was raised in Zhejiang province, where he was influenced by antiques, ancient architecture, and historical artifacts. Despite his immersion in history, he developed a passion for new media and technologies, electing to pursue game development as a supplementary learning endeavor. Zheng studied fine arts in the United States and industrial design in Singapore, specializing in 3D and environment concept designs. His interests include philosophy, archaeology, and mechanical engineering, with personal projects often involving engineering, art philosophy, human interactions, and occasionally music.
"The Island" project combines multiple design skills, including 2D, 3D, and a small portion of programming, utilizing Adobe series for 2D editing, Autodesk Maya for asset modeling, and Unreal Engine for compositing. Players can appreciate the aesthetically constructed environment, inspired by southwest Chinese architecture and secret trade routes from India and Vietnam to China. The hidden cave within the island imparts a mysterious atmosphere and showcases the seamless integration of functional design with nature.
Zheng chose game engines as the medium due to his conviction that they hold the key to the future of the post-digital world. Game engines have applications beyond game production, and Zheng's experimentation with Unreal Engine represents the initial step in his future exploration of art thinking. Concurrently, the emphasis on environment design seeks to attract potential designers for future collaborations.
