Digital cultural heritage, immersive cinema, AI art and curatorial systems, centered on the continuing XUNKU project.
Official profile →Research
Research
A research practice spanning art theory in the digital civilization era, future curation, digital cultural heritage, and emerging media.
Digital Art Studies
数字艺术学Monograph in preparation: Digital Art Studies — Constructing Art Theory for the Digital Civilization Era.
Key strands
Theoretical framework · Papers · Research grants · Course: AI and Digital Art
Research OutcomesTech-art research · AI and art
Research outcomes → Store · Publishing
Possible Worlds Archive
可能世界档案An ongoing curatorial and research system for future art.
Timeline
2021 Possible Worlds Archive Science Fiction Forum 2024 Possible Worlds · The First China Digital Art Exhibition 2024 Archives of Future Life 2026 Possible Worlds Archive: International Tech Art Exhibition
Research OutcomesRelated works: "Posthuman · Saier", "Poetic Human", "Poetic Human 2.0"
Explore → Possible Worlds Archive
Digital Cultural Heritage
数字文化遗产Digital research and artistic practice in cultural heritage. Core: the XUNKU project.
Key strands
Movies: "XUNKU: Echoes Beneath" "Di Renjie: Phantom Face, Burning Heart" ｜ Exhibitions: "Eight Aspects of the Buddha’s Path", "Evolution of Marvelous Manifestations", "Sacred Images of the Mountains"
Research OutcomesProject: Qingzhou Ancient City "Time and Space Tunnel" (2022) "Tracing the Renowned Mountains"
Explore → XUNKU
Immersive Narrative & Future Media
沉浸叙事与未来媒介Research on future art media. Core: Future Mobility Cabin.
Key strands
Mixed reality · XR · Spatial computing · Immersive imaging
Research OutcomesThe XUNKU series is linked as a case study — see Digital Cultural Heritage.
Explore → "Future Mobility Cabin"
International Standards Framework for Digital Art
数字艺术国际标准体系A research framework for digital-art creation, rights, delivery, presentation and preservation.
White Paper on the International Standards Framework for Digital Art
Released on 23 September 2026 by the China Academy of Art AI Center and the Executive Committee of the Global Digital Trade Expo, with Yu Zhen serving as editor-in-chief. It is a starting point for further discussion and validation, not an approved or enacted international standard.
Research areasClassification and terminology · Creation and production · Rights and provenance · Presentation and delivery · Preservation and long-term maintenance
View release coverage →
Global Digital & AI Art Context
International field mapYuzhen’s practice is situated here within major international directions in digital and AI art. This is a research context—not a claim of partnership, ranking or equivalence.
Data, machine learning and large-scale immersive environments.
Museum of Modern Art →Everydays, digital imagery and hybrid physical–digital art.
Christie’s →AI, identity, training data and voice.
Whitney Museum →Generative systems and critical inquiry into artificial intelligence.
Barbican Centre →Shared questions include machine perception, generative systems, immersive space and cultural memory. Yuzhen’s distinct emphasis is the connection of these questions with Chinese cultural heritage, panoramic cinema and curatorial research.