Perspective:
Exploring the Interplay Between Nature and Society Post-Pandemic

When you suddenly find yourself with ample time to sit in your bedroom and gaze out at the world through your window, what reflections arise?

“I live really close to the construction site, I heard the sound. I heard people talk. I watched people live on the construction site. I watched all of the big machines just coming back and forth all day, making noises. And you watch all of the big machines just trying to do their movement. But suddenly all of them just stopped. So at that time, I was trying to think about, okay, what is the new system for this society right now?”























“So that's the moment we started to think about maybe nature in some way is immoral. So it's not like you're just having fun with nature, or like nature is trying to breed all of the society. It's actually nature that is also shaping your identity. So yeah, humans have suffered an epidemic, that is, natural selection, which is unnatural to humans. Even if we admit it, we do not follow it.”


“That’s a really good question. I’ve never thought about this before.”
“We never intend to use our work to support or against vaccination. We just believe that because we are moral creatures, so we're trying to save other people's lives, even though in some theory, they're kind of not suitable for this world. “

Yuying Wu

“You said that the audience is also part of your installation. So how does that work? And is there any interesting feedback you get from audiences? “

 “So, it's like this, the audience, the image I just showed you, spent around 15 minutes simply staring at this installation, which was truly fascinating to me. I asked him, "What are you looking at?" He said he was just observing all the liquid flowing into the heart of this installation, and that it made him feel remarkably calm and relaxed. Suddenly, he realized that it was because of his movements, his behavior, that he came close to this creature. He expressed a desire to spend more time watching this behavior-triggered movement.”

“I believe that's probably our goal with this work—to enable people to truly understand that they're not just observing the system; they are a part of the system. The creature and the audience themselves are working together to construct a new environment. That's essentially the core concept.”

In the contemplative realm of self-isolation, Raven Hu found herself starting to question the interplay between societal and natural systems. Her reflections during quarantine prompted her to reconsider everyday objects with newfound significance, ultimately giving rise to a fresh perspective on exploring the dynamics between nature and society.


In 2020, during a two-month period of quarantine predominantly confined to her home, specifically her bedroom, Raven observed and contemplated her immediate surroundings. Her typical view through her window encompassed a vibrant city construction site, teeming with the sounds of people and machines amid an ever-changing urban landscape. However, with no alterations transpiring during those two months, she found herself questioning the existing societal and natural systems visible from her window. "Does nature change?  Like the virus, is there something unknown altering nature?" These inquiries propelled her to delve into the mutual reshaping of nature and society, exploring the human role in this transformative process.


Drawing inspiration from artists like Mona Hatoum and Rebecca Horn, Raven turned her focus to the mundane objects in her room, such as a refrigerator, desks, umbrellas, face masks, and laptops. She aimed to see past their typical uses and identities, perceiving them solely as forms. This exploration led her to concentrate on an umbrella. Stripped to its skeletal structure, it lost its original purpose of shielding from rain, sparking Raven's curiosity about parallels in nature or society. "Is there something right now that has completely lost its functionality during COVID-19 or due to some other reason?"


Collaborating with fellow artist Jiahui Liang, Raven engaged deeply with the ideas in Richard Dawkins 'The Selfish Gene,' prompting an analysis of the relationship between human society and natural systems. This exploration included considering theories about the human-made origins of COVID-19 and the development of vaccines to fight the pandemic.


Raven argues that despite theories of anti-natural selection, humans, as moral beings, are inclined to save lives, indicating a significant shift in our relationship with nature. She notes a pivotal moment in their research: “We began to realize we're entering a new era, a redefined natural system. It's no longer just about nature shaping our identity; we are also shaping nature with our actions and innovations, like technology and vaccines."


In their art installation, Raven and Jiahui experimented with various materials, ultimately selecting kombucha and 'victimless leather'—a substance that does not harm any animals. This decision underscores the main theme of their work: creating materials that align with their vision of harmonious coexistence.


The installation is interactive and reacts to the audience's proximity. As people approach, the rate at which the probiotics in the kombucha receive nutrition increases. This element exemplifies the artists' vision: the more engagement with the artwork, the more 'nourishment' it gains, symbolizing a symbiotic relationship between humans and nature.


A key feature of the installation is the preserved bone structure of an umbrella, forming the conceptual base of their project. These bones are creatively reimagined as water spiders, the only known species of spider that spends its entire life underwater, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica. Jingfei's research leads her to define water spiders as 'the betrayers of spiders' due to their unique adaptation, challenging conventional patterns of natural selection observed in other spider species.


I find this choice of metaphor truly ingenious; depicting a betrayer of the system can also be viewed as a challenge to the current system. This metaphor can be extended to humanity's role in the evolving natural system—humans employing technology to disrupt the established pattern of natural selection. Similar to water spiders, their ‘betrayal’ doesn't exclude them from the system but rather redefines their place, making them active participants in the emerging natural order. Actions such as vaccine development portray humans not as adversaries of natural selection but as dynamic contributors, actively reshaping and integrating into nature.


Initially, when I encountered this installation, I was unaware of the depth of stories and concepts interwoven within it. Yet, even without this knowledge, the work captivated me, drawing me into its intricate design and compelling presence. It was only after delving deeper, through multiple conversations with Raven Hu, that I fully grasped the complexity and intention behind their creation. Each discussion with Raven opened new layers of understanding, enriching my appreciation of the artwork.


My curiosity led me to inquire about the reactions of other viewers. Raven shared an anecdote about a man who was so mesmerized by the flow of nourishment in the installation's tubes that he remained squatting before it for fifteen minutes. This interaction highlights the diverse ways in which people engage with art. While not every observer may grasp the full spectrum of the artists' conceptualizations, Raven emphasized that their primary message — the idea of humans being an integral part of nature — is what truly matters.


This installation, with its layered metaphor, extends an invitation to its audience to reconsider our relationship with the natural world. It doesn't just suggest; it vividly illustrates that we are not adversaries of nature. Instead, we are intrinsic to a dynamic, evolving ecosystem, where our innovations and the rhythms of the natural world intertwine. This revelation, brought to life through Raven and Jiahui's art, marks a pivotal moment. It blurs the lines between human influence and the natural environment, heralding a significant shift in how we perceive and interact with the world around us.