Shadows of Restoration
An immersive heritage exhibition that uses spatial interaction and digital media to awaken obscured historical memories — guiding viewers to reexamine the blurred boundaries between restoration and forgetting through lingering shadows.
October 2022｜Shanghai · China
Introduction｜
Throughout the transmission of history and civilization, artifact restoration has constantly oscillated between "faithful reconstruction" and "creative transformation," sparking profound discussions around authenticity, representation, and power.
This project takes the form of a digital cultural heritage exhibition, using interactive installations to visualize the traces of restoration. It explores whether the marks left by human intervention—those not originally part of the artifact—should also be considered part of history.
Design Key Words｜Artifact Restoration / Cultural Heritage / Interactive Installation / Digital Artefact / Participatory Narrative / Cultural Reconstruction / Public Education / Speculative Design / Digital Media Art / Restoration Ethics
Background Research｜
The restoration of cultural relics is crucial to the inheritance of human history and culture, but it is also a huge problem.
Case of Cultural Relics Restoration｜
Differences in Viewpoints among DifferentSchools of Thought｜
Core Issue｜
Does the act of restoration obscure historical truth?
Should the “participants” in the restoration process also be documented?
Can digital tools challenge the singularity of restoration narratives?
How can viewers re-perceive history through interactive engagement?
Concept Development｜
Deconstructing Four Common Artifact Forms｜
Constructing a State Degradation Map |
Design Strategy｜
Transformed into digital artefacts + multisensory interactive pathways｜
Dynamic restoration interactions were realized through Processing and Arduino
Touch-based triggers activated restoration animations and historical narratives
The act of “restoration” was redefined as a decision-making process that merges visual, tactile, and logical layers
The project questions the underlying assumption that “restoration equals authenticity”
Sketch｜
Interaction & Exhibition｜
Four types of original artifacts → Corresponding damaged forms → User-triggered restoration
The “restoration decision-making” process is made visible within the digital medium.
Watch the Video｜
End｜
Shadows of Restoration is not a showcase of technical restoration—it is a question about how we remember.
It invites viewers to step into the gaps of history in their own way, revealing that restoration is not just a craft, but a perspective.
Between the digital and the material, perhaps every touch becomes a quiet act of rewriting history in light.
If this project resonated with you, or you’d like to collaborate — I’d love to hear from you.
📧 Email: [email protected]
📸 Instagram: har_rison0525