The Walk Through Wall exhibition has successfully concluded its inspiring run as part of the Microwave International New Media Arts Festival 2025, which returned to Hong Kong City Hall from November 7 to 16. This showcase featured cutting-edge media artworks that deeply engaged visitors. Curated by the esteemed international media art curator Joel Kwong, the exhibition went beyond simply addressing mental health challenges. It explored how art and technology can promote collective healing through the sharing of community memories.
The exhibition was thoughtfully divided into five sections, each expressing different emotions and employing diverse methods of understanding and revealing personal feelings—creating an inspirational and healing experience for all who attended.
Sentiment Voice
Sentiment Voice is a live VR performance art project by Korean-American artist Semi Ryu that uses emotion-tracking AI technology to amplify the voices and experiences of immigrants. The project harnesses human voices and facial expressions to tell powerful stories set across five immigrant-centered scenes: airports, schools, immigration offices, hospitals, and workplaces.
The immigration office scene in the VR resonated deeply with many due to Hong Kong’s recent wave of emigration. “The AI scheme focused on immigration was especially touching. As many Hongkongers have emigrated, the realistic portrayal of the immigration office—the place where visas are processed—felt particularly real and meaningful to me,” shared June Ling.
With a specially developed script, the VR experience is open to the public, inviting participants to share their emotional journeys while exploring these uniquely crafted virtual settings.
As participants speak, the AI analyzes their emotions in real-time, changing the colors of each scene to reflect their feelings and create a responsive emotional landscape. “It was fun to see the system recognize feelings through our words. But there are some limitations—it only works if you speak English, so I do question how accurate it is,” shared Skin, one of Sentiment Voice’s participants.
Erased Mursmurs
Erased Murmurs invites participants on a quiet journey to explore disappearing graffiti, emotional fragments written in Hong Kong’s public spaces that often go unnoticed or are erased by Lam Miu Ling. Graffiti is a distinctive expression in Hong Kong, visible in both small alleys and main streets, serving as a way for Hongkongers to voice their inner feelings.
In the exhibition, participants sit at a desk and use a torch to reveal hidden words inside a book. “The graffiti was the most memorable part of the exhibition for me, it provided a meaningful moment for self-reflection,” said Angela Chan.
Pickles
Dominique Chen’s latest ongoing project is a collaboration with Yuki Agatsuma. This evolving experience harnesses the positive power of writing and storytelling. “Writing journals helps individuals reflect on their emotions. With the support of AI, it can further assist them in facing and understanding their feelings rather than avoiding them”, said Arthur Ngai, who is responsible for introducing Pickles to the audience.
Pickles also poses a thought-provoking question to every participant: “Can we cultivate empathy and mutual support without slipping into codependency?”
‘Grandma’
Artist Zhou Yi-Chen created a retro-style handheld pixel game called Grandma to commemorate his late grandmother. The game recreates his experience of caring for grandmother during her illness until she thanks him and peacefully passes away. One of the exhibition’s themes is that every pain is unique, yet also universal, a sentiment that deeply resonates with those who share similar experiences. “I wanted to cry when the grandma in the game died. The bed and the drink beside her felt so real — it’s the same bed my own grandma once slept in,” shared June Ling.
Digital Forest
Digital Forest is a multi-sensory installation inspired by our connection to nature. This section features many small mirrors representing how technology reflects us, reminding us that people, creatures, and their emotions are all continuously growing. Just like in everyday life, we nurture feelings of love, joy, and even dislikes, constantly evolving within us.
All the works in the exhibition revolve around the theme “Walk Through Walls.” In Chinese, the title conveys “Even If the Sky Grows Deeper,” hinting at an emotional undercurrent that runs through every piece. Each artwork reflects a distinct form of pain rooted in self-awareness and experience—feelings that cannot always be directly seen, but encourage all of us to acknowledge and confront our inner struggles in the journey toward healing.
“I didn’t have any expectations before coming to the exhibition, but after walking through the different sections, I found it truly touching and healing. It reminded me to face my emotions head-on instead of avoiding them”, said Faith Sze.