Ranger Liu

Asterisms, 2024 video

Asterisms explores the relationship between ancient astronomy and modern bodies. Traditional Chinese constellations – called “asterisms” – from the SuZhou star chart (c. 1200) are sonified into compositions for the snare drum, using stellar properties of each star in each asterism to determine what is played. The sun and moon are linked to bodily cycles: the sun, to testosterone shots, and the moon, to menstruation. The sun and moon act as visual and sonic representations of the artist’s bodily data, charting the rhythms of these cycles against the cycle of ancient asterisms and their visibility in the sky across one year.

Asterisms 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvnXWBjsQ-Q

Asterisms 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufZh77i4GWc

Asterisms 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3io8pHzEk40