There is an anthropological interest in shadows. It becomes an an existential quest for knowing where one begins and where one ends. In the ancient town of Qibao in Shanghai, they performed shadow plays based on regional historical events using local dialects. In Thailand, Nang Yai shadow plays were performed for the Aristocracy. The performances originate from the Ayuthaya period. Historical records indicate the art of Nang Yai may have been influenced by Khmer culture in the 15th century, and Indonesian culture between the 8th and 13th centuries. For the Greeks, the shadow was a metaphor for the psyche and the soul. In heraldry, a charge was shown in shadow. In all of these examples, the body was known to function in relation to a culture.
(Stoichita, Victor. Short History of the Shadow: Essays in Art and Culture. Reaktion Books)
Even though contemporary post-modern shadow art has formally changed today, it continues to function in a similar manner.
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