Interview about Mystical Serpent Light Art Installation, winner of the A' Fine Arts and Art Installation Design Award 2025
On the facade of a century old building in Shanghai China, Mystical Serpent was created a lighting art installation, blending serpent legends from ancient China and Rome. The winding 3D inflatable snake body is made of lightweight recyclable materials. It passes through the walls and windows that present a pseudo 3D effect by covering printed murals and pasting glass stickers. This installation connects the horizontal and vertical spaces, creating a three dimensional sense as a whole. It also brings a new visual experience to this century old building.
View detailed images, specifications, and award details on A' Design Award & Competition website.
View Design DetailsAs a native Shanghainese, I have always been deeply influenced by the city’s unique blend of Eastern and Western cultures. Integrating these two cultural perspectives has long been a central pursuit in my design practice. Since the Mystical Serpent was created for the Chinese New Year, my goal was to craft a light installation that embodies both Shanghai’s cosmopolitan character and its spiritual essence through a cross-cultural approach.
Respecting the site’s inherent character has always been a core principle in my work. This respect goes beyond form—it lies in uncovering the spiritual and historical essence of the architecture. Since the building itself is an embodiment of East-West fusion, I wanted the artwork to reflect this harmony by bridging the old with the new, and the traditional with the contemporary.
Before choosing Zhulong and the Roman domestic serpent as inspirations, I conducted extensive research on serpent myths from both cultures. In The Classic of Mountains and Seas, Zhulong opens its eyes to bring day and closes them to bring night, while in Roman mythology, the household serpent symbolizes protection. As the Spring Festival celebrates reunion and renewal, the fusion of these myths—light and darkness, protection and family—became a natural foundation for the design.
I focused the design on the building’s south and west façades, where the angular relationship posed the main technical challenge. I resolved this through flowing curves that visually connect the two sides while contrasting the building’s linear geometry. The structure extends from and returns to the windows, as if the serpent’s body were emerging and dancing through the air—achieving both spatial continuity and expressive independence.
Unlike permanent sculptures, festive installations in commercial spaces have a short lifespan, and discarded materials often cause waste and pollution. I believe designers should create not only visual beauty but also moral goodness. Therefore, I chose recyclable waterproof nylon as the main material—its lightweight nature both reduces structural pressure and aligns with environmental sustainability.
Zhulong’s myth of opening its eyes for day and closing them for night inspired the dual experience of the installation. During the day, high-saturation warm tones create a vivid visual presence; at night, the internal illumination transforms it into a soft, glowing form—echoing the myth’s poetic cycle of light and darkness.
Located on North Sichuan Road in Hongkou District, The Inlet sits at the historic crossroads of East and West that shaped Shanghai’s identity. Through this installation, I hoped to evoke that spirit of cultural fusion. Public art, unlike gallery works, belongs to everyone—it engages passersby directly. This connection between site and spirit is the essence I sought to express.
Rather than focusing solely on serpent imagery, I compared Roman and Chinese decorative patterns to identify visual commonalities. I sought harmony through geometry and color unification, ensuring that when motifs from different cultures coexist, they form a coherent whole—an aesthetic dialogue rather than a mere juxtaposition of symbols.
The integration of Eastern and Western cultures has always been central to my creative philosophy. Growing up in Shanghai, a city of inclusivity and convergence, I deeply value cultural synthesis. In today’s world, where divisions seem to grow, designers bear the responsibility of promoting understanding and harmony through their work. This belief will continue to guide my future projects.
I believe the project’s powerful visual impact resonated first—the way it broke from conventional “placement” methods by using the building itself as part of the composition created a strong spatial tension. The vivid red palette captured attention instantly, while the deeper narrative of East-West cultural fusion touched both the jury and the public. Visual strength draws viewers in, but it is the story and detail that make them stay.
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