仨生自然 Three-way Relationships
HKYAF - Beyond Environmental Arts Festival 東亞綠色藝術節

Wood Type: Pine    |   Size: 1000mm L x 800mm H x 600mm W     
Complete: Jul 2023 
 
In the past, Hong Kong rice farmers often used cows and buffalo to work their fields. With the decline of local agriculture in the 1970s, many working animals were abandoned and left to fend for themselves. Today, feral buffalo can be found in areas around Lantau Island, Sai Kung, Ma On Shan, and the central and northeastern New Territories.

Wherever you find buffaloes you often find cattle egrets too. Walking alongside, or perching on a buffalo’s back, the egrets eat the insects that fly out as the animals move about. The relationship is beneficial for the buffalo too, as the egrets remove ticks from their backs. Over the years, the impact of land development has reduced the natural habitats of these creatures, making this harmonious partnership a rare sight in Hong Kong today.

Inspired by the symbiotic relationship of egrets and buffalo, woodcarving artists Vivian Law and Justin Chan worked with students to create 15 wooden sculptures of cattle egret to display with their commissioned artwork – a wooden sculpture of a buffalo. Their work encourages us to reflect on the three-way relationship between animal species, nature and humans.

理念
昔⽇，本港的農⺠曾廣泛以⿈⽜及⽔⽜協助種植⽔稻耕作，隨着七十年代農業式微，大部分耕⽜遭遺棄。現時，流浪的水牛分布於大嶼山、西貢及馬鞍山、新界中部及東北部。
 
水牛有一個形影不離的朋友──牛背鷺，牠們愛站在⽜背上覓食和歇息。當⽜隻走入草叢吃草時，躲藏其中的昆蟲會四散⽽逃，⽜背鷺就會趁機捕捉昆蟲⼤⼝吞食。⽜背鷺亦會啄食⽜背上的寄⽣蟲，兩者互惠互利。但近年受⼟地開發影響，牛隻活動範圍愈縮愈⼩，牛背鷺與水牛結伴同行的情景也越來越少見。
 
以水牛和牛背鷺的共棲關係作為靈感，木雕藝術家羅芷韻與陳子駿帶領一班來自聖母書院的學生，用木材製作十五隻牛背鷺雕塑，與委約作品水牛木雕一同組合展出。藝術家希望觀眾與作品合而為一，透過動物之間自然共棲的景象，投射出人類和動物一起和諧活在自然的願景，同時藉水牛的現況反思人與大自然的關係。

相授 x 協作
這次除了我們第一次製作比較大型的水牛雕塑展品外，也感謝YAF與聖母書院校方安排，讓我們帶著同學於短短數堂內順利製作了15隻牛背鷺木雕，融入展品當中。大家第一次以木頭作爲創作媒介，希望從課程中學到的技術能在DSE大派用場吧！