MDPJ, or Microdistance Project, is a part of a liberal arts summer program in China my friends and I ran all throughout highschool. The program brings in experts in different fields to lead discussions, each one leading a small group of highschool students to deeply explore a topic. The centerpiece of this week-long program was MDPJ.
Every year’s MDPJ should satisfy three criteria: memorable to participants, engaging to observers, and should emphasize both the invuviduality and cohesiveness of the different groups involved.
For my final year working on MDPJ, I planned to have every group paint a translucent mural, each corresponding to a letter of MICRODISTANCE 2023 and should represent the spirit of the group. Once the murals were completed, they would be displayed in a gallery-style exhibition, outside at night, with a music-synched and choreographed light show.
In five days, my team and I brought the exhibition to life: designing the light show, sourcing materials from factories, and preparing the space. When the day arrived, I guided 200 students and their instructors as they painted vibrant murals. We sang and danced as the lights and music weaved around us.
