"Bodyless (失身記2.0版)," a martial law era-inspired virtual reality piece directed by Taiwanese new media artist Hsin-chien Huang, won the Masque d'or (Golden Mask) Grand Prize at the 2020 NewImages Festival Awards in Paris.

Inspired by Huang's childhood memories of the dark chapter in Taiwan's history, "Bodyless" unfolds when an aged political prisoner who passes away alone in confinement against the backdrop of political oppression of the martial law era from 1949 to 1987.

Through the deceased man's eyes, viewers will be able to explore folk culture in Taiwan and the nation's spiritually vibrant world. The plot thickens when a mechanical force starts to dismantle the spiritual realm, reducing humans and memories into simple geometric shapes that can be more easily managed by ruling class.

Selected from 16 digital projects competing for the XR Competition of the festival, Huang's immersive VR piece won the top honor and €6,000 in prize money for its unique art of storytelling, poetic composition, narrative style, aesthetics, and also innovativeness.

Date: 2020.9.5-10.25

Location: Forum des images（hall d'accueil）

Link: https://newimagesfestival.com/en/palmares-newimages-2020/