White Bear
Recent exhibit: Saatchi Gallery - Civilization, London (2 Jun - 16 Sep, 2023)
Photographs (150x188cm), Documents, Videos (Watch on Vimeo)
"White Bear" depicts polar bears within artificial enclosures, examining the problematic aspects of captive animal programs by focusing on one species. Having been carried out across 45 sites in Europe and Asia since 2014, the project portrays the awkwardness of polar bears displayed against fabricated settings. These settings aim to appeal both audience and inhabitants, overlaying the qualities of nature, home, and stage. Amidst man-made backdrops, these enclosures meld conflicting features—grasslands, boulders, steps, pools, creeks, mock seals, and even painted icebergs. As wild polar bears cover a home range of more than 14,000 square kilometers, various concerns arise under limited resources — The lack of space and enrichments often leads to boredom, and the high management costs may impact other species' budgets. While ex-situ conservation efforts benefit many species, reintroduction programs for polar bears are currently not possible due to habitat loss. Often positioned as flagship species, these bears serves as the ambassadors of their kind; yet the failing cases challenge the institutions' mission of conservation, research and education.
Sound design: I-lly Cheng
Co-production: National Geographic Magazine Taiwanese Edition
Support: Mondriaan Fonds
Project advisor: Kendy Tzu-Yun Teng, DVM PhD
白熊計畫 2014 -
《白熊計畫》呈現人工圈養環境中的北極熊,藉由鎖定單一物種思考動物園的問題面。自2014年以來,藉由訪查歐洲、亞洲45處北極熊圈養環境,本計畫呈現了「北極熊」與「人造環境」的尷尬組合。這些結構需要同時滿足遊客與動物,因而疊合了自然、家與舞台的特質。它們拼合了許多矛盾的元素—— 草原、巨石、台階、水池、小溪、假海豹、甚至有彩繪冰山。由於每隻野生北極熊的棲地範圍超過14萬平方公里,許多問題來自圈養資源受限—空間與環境豐富度匱乏往往導致長期無聊與行為異常,而高昂的管理成本也可能限縮圈養其他物種的經費。雖然域外保育可裨益許多物種,但對北極熊而言,由於棲地逐漸消失,目前並無復育計畫。這些北極熊在園內被定位為吸引遊客的旗艦種,也是代表該物種的大使;然而許多堪慮的現狀正持續挑戰著當代動物園保育、研究與教育的使命。
聲音設計:鄭伊里
特約合作:國家地理雜誌中文版
資助:荷蘭蒙德里安基金會
顧問:鄧紫芸 獸醫博士