“Through my practice, I hope to create experiences that encourage a sense of emotional flow and reflection. I want my work to reconnect people with their inner feelings and spiritual awareness and hopefully inspire small moments of personal growth.”

"The failure of the 21st century is that the 21st century has yet to really start, so, in a way, it's a disappearance of both the present and the future." Mark Fisher observed in his book Ghosts of My Life: Writings on Depression, Hauntology and Lost Futures. This theoretical framework, coined by the philosopher Derrida, is called 'hauntology' and describes a refusal to accept the loss of the social-democratic and experimental territories of the past, which can even be called 'hauntological melancholy'. This theoretical perspective is at the root of Tongktongktong's practice, a London-based multimedia artist and a graduate of Goldsmiths, University of London (BSc Digital Arts Computing), whose practice investigates the connection between visuals and sound, creating a theoretical and visual line between the digital and the physical realms.

In Sinsin (2026), a 20-minute audiovisual set, Tongktongktong builds upon a methodological and theoretical framework of three-act narrative structure (a technique originating from filmmaking, the artist's initial medium); this method is used as a subjective emotional logic, translating deeply personal emotional atmospheres into visual language. The artist leads us through three types of separation: symbolic, solitary, and forthcoming; the forced separation between a caregiver and a plant, the mutually beneficial parting of a bee and a flower, and the solitary experience of sadness and lingering attachment after loss. This framework goes beyond storytelling. It intentionally mimics emotional progression. The use of three repeating motifs establishes a predictable rhythm that allows audiences to follow utterly complex psychological reasoning and to create a coherent balance between an independent subjective translation of personal emotional development. The project, which initially stems from an experimental exercise using TouchDesigner and Ableton Live, connects deeply with narratology and discourse framing analysis as interpretive frameworks. These terms, coined by Tzvetan Todorov, are based on the idea of a common language or universal patterns that operate within a specific narrative. The same narrative, viewed through different lenses, oral or written language or music, can change how the audience perceives the narrative and experiences different meanings.

Another work, Snake Run (2026), further demonstrates Tongktongktong’s sustained conceptual investigation into the disconnection between accelerated technological growth and the lag in inner spiritual development, as well as the psychological process of attachment and letting go. In this endless running game, the artist explores material temptations alongside spiritual awakening. This work connects concepts such as technological innocence, hauntological melancholy (nostalgia for lost futures), and emotional flow, while defining a practice that prioritises creating individual atmospheres of growth rather than didactic experiences. The artist’s approach centres on individual emotional resilience, contributing indirectly to an “unstable world”. By referencing Y2K and Frutiger Aero aesthetics (visual styles associated with turn-of-the-century optimism), she creates a contrast between technological innocence and the collective optimism of the past, directly showcasing the gap between generations and how technology is perceived: familiar to some, confusing and emotionally distant to others. It serves as a clear critique of how accelerated technological change outpaces psychological adaptation. The project, a collaboration with sound artist Yuna 阿尘, laid the groundwork for an upcoming narrative romance game centred on the symbolic meaning of the horse, designed to examine intimacy and emotional independence. As with earlier works, it continues her three-act narrative structure and adopts a feminist lens, exploring the experience of East Asian women as they navigate the balance between self-development and relationships.

On a conceptual level, Tongktongktong links the notion of progress, investigating technology and material growth, with the process of attachment, exploring how people process these specific emotions and learn to let go. Digital spaces become grounds for psychological exploration, investigating how interactive digital environments and game structures can become spaces for emotional storytelling and deep psychological reflection. Throughout her work, a recurring theme emerges: the tension between internal versus external conflict, stemming from a more personal conflict rather than larger-scale external events.

Why focus on technology to create a critical language about technology itself? Tongktongktong’s practice clearly shows how technology bridges the gap between emotional frameworks and a sense of community. By using synthetic imagery, the artist talks about sensitive emotional frameworks, demonstrating their importance within both artistic fields and broader audiences as a familiar pathway to reconnect with community and our inner states.

Know more about the artist here.

Cover image:

Sinsin by Tongktongktong. Image courtesy of Tongktongktong.

All images courtesy of Tongktongktong.