Xiaochu (Daisy) Dai

Email: xiaochudaisy.dai@unsw.edu.au

Website: https://xiaochudai.framer.website/

Supervisors: Rebecca Green, Andrew Yip

Xiaochu (Daisy) Dai is an interdisciplinary, multi-media art practitioner creating immersive experiences at the intersection of the aesthetics of nature and spatial storytelling. Her artistic practice builds upon her architectural training and MA in Information Experience Design from the Royal College of Art, focusing on the poetic connections between human and non-human worlds. Her creative research took shape through early works such as Behind the Darkness (2021), her first digital experimental film that established her approach to spatial narrative, and Forest Rhapsody (2021), which laid the foundation for her ongoing exploration of environmental humanities. This trajectory found expression in her graduate research project, Re-encounter (2023), an immersive film that received multiple awards and festival nominations for its innovative integration of ecological philosophy and digital technology. Moreover, she has published two independent papers, The Enlightenment of Ecstatic Truth for Developing Sublime Aesthetic Experiences in the Post-cinematic Era (2024) and The Inspiration of Wild Romanticism in New Media Art for Contemporary Wilderness (2025). These works deepen explorations of the aesthetics of nature across traditional film and immersive media, and will further inform her PhD research. Her collaborative experience spans both academic and professional contexts. During her graduate studies, she contributed to collaborative initiatives such as Making Worlds with Others and Across RCA, while her architectural background includes practical experience in Residential District Planning, Architectural Construction Practice, and the Mapping of Ancient Architecture. These diverse experiences have strengthened her communication skills and refined her ability to work as a creative producer in co-design environments. In February 2025, she was selected by MANA, a globally renowned new media art platform dedicated to supporting emerging practitioners and advancing interdisciplinary innovation. Through its Creator Support Program, she continues to engage with a broader network of artists and resources, contributing to the ongoing development of her practice. Currently, she focuses on how immersive technologies, particularly VR, can facilitate natural aesthetic experiences in relation to mangrove heritage in Sydney Harbour, bridging environmental consciousness with technological innovation. She would welcome commissioning opportunities, research collaborations, and dialogue within the field.