What were we made for?


Medium: Sculpture

Material: Aluminium, resin, metal nails

Size: 50cm high

Year: 2024


This sculpture explores the body itself as a tool for adapting to environments, as well as its role as a recorder and carrier within social systems and regional cultures. The work utilizes the morphological changes of the spine to reveal the shaping effects of social labor and societal systems on the human body. It emphasizes that changes in the form of the spine and pelvis not only reflect biological adaptation but also highlight the interaction between biological adaptation and socio-economic and cultural factors. As the spine is the primary support structure of the human body, nearly all human actions involve the spine. Particularly, the degree of spinal curvature can be seen as the result of human long-term adaptation to different production methods and lifestyles. Therefore, physical form differences not only reflect the characteristics of different social modes of production but also the differences in social division of labor and social structure. From a broader sociological perspective, changes in the form of the spine and pelvis are not only results of biological adaptation but are also shaped by societal systems. This includes socio-economic factors and cultural norms, which may indirectly affect the population's spinal and pelvic morphology. The human body serves not only as a basis for physiological existence but also as a recorder or carrier of social systems and cultural identities.

In the artwork, nails symbolize the individual's position and status within society and explore the symbolism of protective mechanisms. The sharp end of the nail represents exploration—adaptive mechanisms, whereas the shielded side represents self-protection—defensive mechanisms. Individuals are like small nails, arranged in specific positions by the large social system. When the hammer strikes the shield side, the harder your shield, the deeper your sharp end embeds into the wall. This reflects the individual's process of finding balance within the social environment.

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