Christopher Marley Nature Art World Tour is Staged in Chongqing

From January 22 to March 12, the "Make Them Last Forever" Christopher Marley Nature Art World Tour is staged at Chongqing Art Museum. During this Spring Festival, Chongqing residents can enjoy a visual feast brought by a world-renowned master of specimen artworks just in Chongqing.

From Los Angeles, USA, Christopher Marley is recognized worldwide as the great artist to create systematic art using insects as the medium. "In his art, he reclaims each animal's physical body, then its spirit," The New York Times said of his works.

Many people feel sick at the mere mention of insects. So was Christopher Marley used to, but an incredible experience has made him tightly bound to insects since then. He found the loveliness of these seemingly "unfriendly" creatures and began to use insects as design elements to create sets of specimen artworks with unique aesthetic qualities.

According to an on-site curation worker, the exhibition is designed with seven artistic themes, i.e., Mysterious Realm of Color, Impression of Prism, Enchantment of Single Item, Charming Phalanx, Style of Simpleness, and Ocean, which include more than 200 works in total. Using natural, real, almost uncolored specimens, the works on display reproduce the original appearances of these creatures by means of geometry, coloring, arrangement, and so forth, embody the harmony and beauty of nature incisively and vividly, and convey to people the endless charm of the natural world.

One of the works is called Butterflies to Sea. Morpho butterflies of different sizes are arranged in a round plate in a well-proportioned manner, with a few smaller ones forming an opening. Looking at it, viewers may feel they've stepped into a forest and been greeted by a cluster of morpho butterflies crowded to fly to the sea together.

"Along with social development, many insect habitats have been severely damaged, and insects are hardly seen in cities. Through this exhibition and insect-themed artworks, it is hoped to enhance public awareness of protecting the environment," said the worker.

In addition to insect specimens, there is a piece of "rock wall"—more than 20 meters long and 4 meters high—at the site of the exhibition. As light and shadow change, forests, flower seas, oceans, and suchlike scenery are shown on it at intervals. Created by multiple senior designers by combining holographic laser projection and digital technique, a dream world integrating seasons, forests, flowers, seas, the universe, and starry skies come out of the wall, much favored by children.

Also on display are installations by ikebana artists, who incorporate installation art into public spaces to demonstrate the power of life, which was originated in Japan. "Wastes" that can be seen everywhere in life and that are even often dumped by people, like dead wood, green peppers, and discarded cellophane, have all turned into amazing, philosophical artworks. Bamboo·Dance, an installment artwork by Zheng Qiaoxue, president of Chongqing Flower Arrangement Association, implies being formidable as splitting bamboos and smooth as floating on clouds and flowing water. "Chinese people love bamboo because seeing it, they feel happy," Zheng said, adding that eight people built this work in three days with 100 bamboos.