Reaching for the Stars

Tool: Processing, Madmapper, Syphon

Group Project with: Tohyo Jiang

Role: Projection Mapping, Creative Coding

Video Demo:

Context

Inspired by Interstellar and Moon ManThis project follows a lonely astronaut drifting through space who accidentally falls into a black hole. Inside, they witness cosmic evolution—planets, galaxies, and color gradually returning to their universe and to themselves. The piece transforms from black-and-white to full chroma, symbolizing healing and cosmic belonging.

There’s no fixed audience, but the theme of loneliness is universal. The message: it’s okay to feel alone sometimes—just don’t forget to look up. The universe is with you.

Music

The soundtrack is from Howl’s Moving Castle, chosen not just for its beauty but its meaning. The story of Sophie—from apathy to emotional reawakening—mirrors our astronaut’s journey from isolation to wonder.

Code

We used four Processing sketches, transmitted via Syphon to Madmapper. Two were interactive. Tohyo covered color gradients and starfields. I focused on:

Fluid Painting: Based on the PixelFlow library, this sketch allows real-time image diffusion via mouse movement. I didn’t alter much—just replaced the background image.

 

Evolution: Based on this generative wind code, I modified it to represent cosmic transformation.

Starfield: I adjusted star count, added music, and made star movement respond to sound.

Challenges

The hardest part was connecting Processing to Madmapper. Also: taping! It took hours. Technical coding wasn’t too difficult in this one.

Future Steps

We’d love to extend the animation beyond 40 seconds and add narrative clarity. Visually and structurally, there’s much more potential to develop if time permits.