Photography — Syan Hu

Mustard 「芥子」 - 2023

“Mustard(芥子)” is a theme that diverges from the conventional under- standing of time. Through my experience of raising reptiles, I have per- sonally witnessed the beginning and end of life. Each species has its lim- ited lifespan. This experience has made me acutely aware of the fragility and impermanence of life, recognizing the relentless yet precious flow of time. Among these creatures, there are not only my pets, but also pets once owned by friends, even animal remains found in the wild, and some realis- tic toys. Every single individual among them, for me, is a real existence in this world, a life sharing the wondrous presence of life and time. Their brief existence, compared to my long life, is merely a fleeting moment. This jour- ney has instilled in me a deeper appreciation for each passing moment and the importance of harmonizing with the natural environment.

Through observing, documenting living beings, or creating specimens of lifeless species and capturing them in photographs, I strive to eternally capture these creatures in images. Additionally, I reintegrate the specimens back into nature, reconnecting them with the pulse of the natural world. Throughout this process, I have felt a profound connection between myself, living beings, and the natural world, sparking profound reflections on the meaning of life and the relationship between humanity and nature. It guides me to contemplate the fleeting and ever-changing nature of each life, akin to a grain of sand in this vast universe, just as it is in Buddhist philosophy with “(芥子纳须弥)a mustard seed’s worth of space containing the entire universe.” Humanity, too, exists in nature in this way. Despite our gradual detachment from the primal natural environment, we remain closely inter- twined with it. Through such commemorative approaches, it demonstrates my attitude of respecting and cherishing life, simultaneously deepening my understanding of the interconnectedness of life and the cycles of nature.

「芥子」是一個以時間的理解與常人不同為出發點的主題。在我飼養爬寵的過程中，我親身體驗了生命的開始和結束，每個物種都有其有限的壽命。這個經驗讓我深刻感受到生命的脆弱和無常，並意識到時間的流逝是無情而珍貴的。這些生物裡不僅有我的寵物，也有朋友曾經飼養的寵物，還有野外撿到的動物尸體，甚至有一些仿真玩具。他們中的每一個個體對我而言，都是真實存在與這個世界的生命，更是與我分享生命和時間奇妙存在的生物。他們的短暫存在與我漫長一生相比只是一瞬間。這段經歷讓我更加珍惜每一個當下，並重視與自然環境的和諧相處。

我以觀察記錄活物，或製作死物標本並拍攝照片的方式，試圖將這些生物永恆地凝視在影像中。而且，我還製作的標本帶到自然中，將它們重新融入自然的脈動。在此過程中，我深切感受到自身，生物，與自然息息相關的連結，從而誘發我深入思考生命的意義以及人類與自然的關係。它引導我思考每一個生命的短暫、變幻無常而又渺小，如這大千世界中一粒沙土，正如佛門中“芥子納須彌”，人類在自然中亦是如此。儘管人類逐漸脫離原始的自然環境，但我們仍與自然密切相連。透過這樣的紀念方式，展現我尊重和珍惜生命的態度，同時也讓我更深刻地理解生命與自然循環的關係。