"Reflection" Wang Ding-Yuan
Opening
2025 / 11 / 4（Tue.）16:30 ；at the same venue → MAP
Exhibition Period
2025 / 11 / 4（Tue.）—— 12 / 4（Thu.）Mon-Fri 12:00-18:00, Closed on weekends & national holidays
Venue
General Building II (1F) Exhibition Hall, Center for Arts and Culture, NTHU
Exhibition Introduction
Reflection, a solo photography exhibition by Wang Ding-Yuan, centers on animal rights and equality. Through evocative imagery and thoughtful curation, it invites viewers to deeply reflect on sustainability and the respect for life. The exhibition showcases the essence of Wang’s years-long creative journey, presenting the complete series of The Taiwan Edinburgh Zoo Project. With a perspective that blends critique and philosophical inquiry, the works respond to contemporary issues surrounding animal captivity and environmental sustainability.
The inspiration for this exhibition stems from the Edinburgh Zoo’s decision not to keep elephants in captivity. Instead of housing real elephants, the zoo installed statues and publicly explained its inability to provide the natural migratory environment elephants require. This concept of “negative captivity” profoundly moved Wang Ding-Yuan, prompting him to examine the current state of Taiwanese zoos and humanity’s attitude toward animals. He visited zoos across Taiwan, photographing enclosures and the interplay of light and space. By digitally inserting model animals into these scenes, he created surreal images that blur the line between reality and illusion, encouraging viewers to reflect on the familiar and the unfamiliar.
Wang’s artistic evolution has been gradual and deliberate. Early works such as The Blue You See Is All That Remains in My Heart and the Black Hole series already revealed his concern for the psychological state of captive animals. Using cool tones and repetitive behaviors, he captured the loneliness and mental distress animals endure in confinement. These pieces are not merely visual presentations—they are emotional and ethical appeals that confront the invisible violence humans inflict on animals.
Echoing the autumn curatorial theme “Nature Sustainability, Artistic Resonance,” the exhibition positions art as a medium for reflection and action amid the intensifying global climate crisis. Wang’s work is not only a gaze upon animals but also a challenge and reminder of humanity’s role. Through the language of art, he guides viewers to reconsider their ecological responsibilities and encourages the practice of sustainability in everyday life. The exhibition becomes a space for deep dialogue about life, memory, and the environment—fostering empathy and cultivating values of respecting nature and cherishing resources, as we collectively move toward a sustainable future.
The inspiration for this exhibition stems from the Edinburgh Zoo’s decision not to keep elephants in captivity. Instead of housing real elephants, the zoo installed statues and publicly explained its inability to provide the natural migratory environment elephants require. This concept of “negative captivity” profoundly moved Wang Ding-Yuan, prompting him to examine the current state of Taiwanese zoos and humanity’s attitude toward animals. He visited zoos across Taiwan, photographing enclosures and the interplay of light and space. By digitally inserting model animals into these scenes, he created surreal images that blur the line between reality and illusion, encouraging viewers to reflect on the familiar and the unfamiliar.
Wang’s artistic evolution has been gradual and deliberate. Early works such as The Blue You See Is All That Remains in My Heart and the Black Hole series already revealed his concern for the psychological state of captive animals. Using cool tones and repetitive behaviors, he captured the loneliness and mental distress animals endure in confinement. These pieces are not merely visual presentations—they are emotional and ethical appeals that confront the invisible violence humans inflict on animals.
Echoing the autumn curatorial theme “Nature Sustainability, Artistic Resonance,” the exhibition positions art as a medium for reflection and action amid the intensifying global climate crisis. Wang’s work is not only a gaze upon animals but also a challenge and reminder of humanity’s role. Through the language of art, he guides viewers to reconsider their ecological responsibilities and encourages the practice of sustainability in everyday life. The exhibition becomes a space for deep dialogue about life, memory, and the environment—fostering empathy and cultivating values of respecting nature and cherishing resources, as we collectively move toward a sustainable future.