DOKU The Illusion

At Espace Louis Vuitton Venezia, Lu Yang presents DOKU The Illusion, an immersive solo exhibition that merges digital identity, Buddhist philosophy, and speculative futures. Curated by Claire Staebler, the project unfolds as a cybernetic sanctuary where video, sculpture, and sound converge.

At the center is the latest chapter of the artist’s ongoing DOKU series, a virtual avatar generated from Lu Yang’s own likeness. Projected on a monumental LED screen, the film follows this shape-shifting figure through dreamlike landscapes, blurring the boundaries between physical and digital existence. Drawing from Buddhist concepts of illusion, reincarnation, and awakening, the work reflects on the instability of identity in an age shaped by avatars, AI, and virtual embodiment. The installation extends spatially through mirrored surfaces and sculptural elements, including Buddha figures holding the wheel of life. Visitors become embedded within the environment, their reflections folded into the work, turning spectatorship into a fleeting, participatory state.