Finalist: PINK PUNK, by SKGPLUS

Gong Zhen is a Digital Artist, Founder of the art studio SKGPLUS, and co-curator of the International Light Art Festival in Chongqing, China. He is a leading expert in the field of new media art in contemporary China, particularly in immersive light art and video mapping.

SKGPLUS’s creative style is diverse and encompasses various art forms. The award-winning studio has a distinctive style and has created a wide range of projects – from works supporting cultural tourism to artistic initiatives aimed at establishing and promoting various destinations and cities. The SKGPLUS team masterfully blends temporal rhythms and spatial transformations, utilizing a combination of visual and audio elements to create a broad spectrum of visual scenes and experiences that captivate and surprise audiences.

What attracted you to participate in the Urban Pulse competition?
We love creating projection mapping works across the world. The LUNAR Festival in Bulgaria has long enjoyed a great reputation. Besides, the monumental architectural complex in Sofia serves as an unmatched creative carrier, which is attractive enough to impress every creator.

What was the main inspiration behind your concept?
Inspired by the legendary street artist Lady Pink, PINK PUNK interprets “Urban Pulse” as a city’s inner spiritual rhythm. With bold pink-toned visuals and punk-style symbols, it playfully reinterprets Sofia’s solemn historic building, bringing diverse contemporary voices to this public landmark.

If the audience closes their eyes after seeing your show, which scene or moment would you most like them to remember?
It is hard to single out one moment, for there are countless fascinating details, fun cartoon figures and hidden Easter eggs throughout. Since viewers cannot take in all three buildings at once in this immersive space, we hope people can watch multiple times and explore from different perspectives.

What has been the most technically challenging aspect of creating a work for such a large-scale outdoor immersive projection environment?
The biggest technical challenge lies in synchronizing video playback across three buildings for multi-angle viewing. Each facade must deliver consistent musical-driven vibes without looking identical. Besides, the combined resolution hits nearly 17K with rich details, greatly boosting our workload compared with single-building projects.

The event is also a celebration of Sofia Day. In your opinion, what is most important for a city to be or to offer to its people? And what would be your wish for Sofia?
A great city should preserve its precious historical heritage and safeguard the collective memories passed down through generations. Meanwhile, it should embrace diverse contemporary culture and offer public stages for ordinary people to express themselves. Our wish for Sofia is that ancient architecture and youthful creativity can co-exist sustainably, enabling every citizen to feel the city’s vibrant and warm vitality.