Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ruoyun(Dry) Dai. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Ruoyun(Dry), thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is Dream Complex, an immersive AR installation that bridges storytelling, psychology, and emotion. It was born during a time when I was deeply preoccupied with the language of dreams—how they carry unresolved feelings, shape memory, and reveal parts of ourselves we often can’t articulate in waking life.

The backstory is quite personal. I was journaling my dreams obsessively during a time of emotional upheaval, trying to make sense of internal turbulence. That’s when the idea struck me: what if I could spatialize these dreams? Map them? Walk through them? What if emotion could be seen—fragmented, reassembled, and understood?

I designed a system based on emotional amplitude, mood type, and cognitive clarity, inspired by psychological models like Russell’s Circumplex and Jungian dream theory. Visitors scan a physical sculpture layered with cloud-like AR markers—each one unlocking a dream fragment and guiding them through a surreal narrative of a soul trapped in its subconscious. The journey is nonlinear, like dreaming itself.

What made this project meaningful was how much of myself it demanded—not just as an artist or designer, but as a human trying to heal, trying to understand. It blurred the lines between art and therapy, virtual and emotional space. Seeing others interact with it, reflect on their own emotional landscapes, and even share their dreams back with me—that made the whole experience feel complete. It reminded me that technology doesn’t have to distance us. Sometimes, it can bring us closer to the parts we hide.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m Ruoyun (Dry) Dai, a multidisciplinary artist and product designer focused on exploring how technology can visualize inner emotional and psychological landscapes. I work with AR, AI, and interactive installations to transform abstract ideas—like dreams, memory, and emotion—into immersive experiences.

My recent project, Dream Complex, uses augmented reality to guide users through a sculptural environment where they collect emotional fragments. Inspired by psychological theories and non-linear storytelling, the work invites reflection on how emotions shape our inner worlds. It was recently recognized as a Gold Winner in the MUSE Design Awards.

What distinguishes my practice is the integration of poetic storytelling with structured systems. I aim to create spaces—both digital and physical—that help people explore the subconscious and connect more deeply with themselves.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Yes—my creative journey began during my architecture studies, when I realized that certain spatial structures I imagined couldn’t be built using existing materials or methods. That limitation pushed me to seek more abstract, flexible, and technologically advanced ways to express complex ideas—especially those related to the invisible, emotional, or subconscious.

So now, my mission is to visualize what we cannot see—inner experiences like dreams, emotions, and psychological states—by blending storytelling with immersive technology. I want to create spaces that don’t just house people, but hold feelings. Through AR, interactive media, and spatial design, I aim to make the subconscious navigable, and emotions something we can explore rather than suppress.

Ultimately, I hope my work helps people reconnect with themselves—and realize that even the most intangible parts of who we are deserve space, structure, and attention.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My creative journey is driven by a desire to visualize the invisible—our emotions, subconscious, and inner dream world. I believe technology can be more than just a tool for productivity; it can be a medium for emotional connection and self-reflection.

With the rise of AI, we’re entering a new era where artistic expression can take on entirely new forms. For me, AI isn’t replacing creativity—it’s expanding it, offering ways to externalize what was previously ungraspable. My goal is to create experiences that use advanced tools without losing emotional depth—spaces where the technological and the deeply human can meet.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.dairuoyun.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whats_inside_of_my_brain/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruoyundai/

Image Credits

First 4 images – Ruoyun(Dry) Dai, Dream Complex; Last 2 images – Ruoyun(Dry) Dai, Liminal