Southern Wind Algorist: Merging Nine Algorithms with Nine Gay Stories Written in Classical Chinese

TC Zhou

Southern Wind Algorist is an avant-garde electronic literature installation that immerses viewers in playful interactions with pre-modern gay Chinese literature. Southern Wind Algorist addresses the lack of pre-modern or pre-1911 gay Chinese culture and literature in today's cultural landscape, both within and beyond the Chinese-speaking world. Classical Chinese gay literature offers insight into the cultural history of gay Chinese men, akin to the exploration of male homosexuality in the West found in Plato's 'Symposium.' Southern Wind Algorist fuses nine gay stories in classical Chinese with nine famous computer graphics algorithms, bridging traditional culture and modern expression. The number nine, symbolizing longevity in Chinese numerology, highlights the lasting presence of male homosexuality in the culture. One featured algorithm is the Turing Pattern, developed by Alan Turing, a pioneering computer scientist who faced challenges due to his homosexuality. Southern Wind (南风) refers to male homosexuality in Chinese culture, while an algorist creates art with algorithms. The artwork's title merges these concepts, symbolizing a cultural synthesis.