Second Phase
Antique tree, discarded mink fur
Height approx. 250cm
2012
The series Second Phase is made from antique Chinese tree trunks and discarded mink fur. Old trees and small wild animals, often depicted in Chinese scholar paintings, were used by ancient Chinese painters to reflect their pursuit of nature. In this work, I remove these elements from their traditional expression and present them as actual, tangible material. This new richly adorned yet eerie composition questions the relationship between human beings and the material world. Always seeking balance between man and nature, we often get lost in the “second phase” of human civilization.