The Cloud, and Beyond the Infinite
In The Cloud, and Beyond the Infinite, Yang Su creates an immersive virtual world of clouds.
The world is generated live, in real time, by computers. The installation uses specialized software that rapidly build complex images to display lifelike cloud formations. Yet, behind this light and dreamlike world, lies a heavy reality: massive data centers, where thousands of computers collaborate to generate such visuals. These networks, known as render farms, consume vast amounts of electricity, releasing large quantities of CO₂, a gas that accelerates global warming. While visitors are immersed in the virtual cloudscapes, the back of the installation reveals the real energy usage and carbon emissions required to maintain a comparable digital space. In doing so, Yang makes tangible how our pursuit of ever more spectacular digital worlds increasingly burdens the physical Earth.
