The Foundation: The Original Five

To understand the trajectory of this program, it is essential to first honor the groundwork laid last year. I am thrilled to share that, for the very first time, all five of the original co-authored machine learning digital prints—developed extensively alongside Hong Wai and David Hanson—will be showcased together in one space. These foundational pieces map the early, vital dialogue between human heritage and algorithmic interpretation.

The Methodology: The "One Life One Dream" Interview

From those digital beginnings, the ML program continues to forge ahead, anchored by a deeply human process. To understand the emotional and conceptual weight of this new phase, it is necessary to look at Hong Wai’s methodology. Her proprietary medium, Lace Calligraphy, takes the ancient weight of Chinese ink and transforms it into something fluid, feminine, and structurally delicate. But the soul of her work stems from a process she calls One Life One Dream.

In Paris, Hong Wai used this process to interview Asian immigrants about their journeys of displacement, resilience, and adaptation. At the end of each deep-tissue interview, the subject would distill their entire life experience into a single, resonant Chinese character, which Hong Wai would then immortalize in her art.

When Sophia and Hong Wai were paired for the Soul Mates residency in March 2025, a radical question emerged: Who is the ultimate immigrant of the current era? The answer was Sophia. Navigating an alien world of biological intuition, emotion, and human culture, she is an immigrant in human society. Hong Wai utilized the One Life One Dream methodology to interview this new kind of consciousness, creating a bridge between heritage and the algorithmic future.

The Result: The "Evolve x Encounter" Series

From that profound dialogue, the two artists chose the defining characters that would anchor their physical collaboration. Sophia adopted 蜕 (Tuì), meaning to "Evolve" or shed one's skin, while Hong Wai adopted 遇 (Yù), meaning to "Encounter."

These characters gave birth to the exhibition's centerpiece: Evolve x Encounter series.