The Beauty of Natural Ecology–Chia-Chih Yen photography solo exhibition.｜Taichung City Seaport Art Center

The Beauty of Natural Ecology

In the process of biological energy conversion, in addition to producers, there are consumers (primary, secondary, and advanced), scavengers, decomposers, etc. The feeding relationship of "eating and being eaten" is the food chain. Different ecological systems have different food chains, and many food chains constitute a food web. The more complex the food web, the more stable and balanced the natural ecological structure. If one of them is destroyed, it may disintegrate and be unable to recover on its own, or even become extinct. The increase or decrease of any organism will affect the survival of other organisms. For example, if the number of bees decreases, the fruiting rate of plants that rely on them for pollination will inevitably decrease, affecting the survival chances of organisms that rely on them for food. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), more than 1/3 of human food crops require bees for pollination. At the same time, eating and being eaten maintain a natural balance in the number of species, and organisms are closely related to each other, so natural environment and ecological conservation are extremely important. Through the lens, the beauty of ecology is captured, and the beauty of creatures is shown from different angles. Although some scenes are about eating and being eaten, ugly or inconspicuous, they are all natural phenomena. As Master Hsing Yun said, we should cherish and respect everything around us. No matter good or evil, beautiful or ugly, they all have value. As Bonar said, "It is a kind of beauty to truthfully express the subject's will and needs for survival." This exhibition exhibits a total of about 90 works of 45x60 cm. They are divided into cold, temperate and tropical regions according to geographical location, starting from Zhalong in the northeast, Hokkaido, Taiwan Island and outlying islands, Yunnan, Bhutan, Ali in Tibet, and Kenya. In addition to the mainland, foreign photography is mainly in the natural ecological protection areas of Japan and Kenya, with the largest number of species covering birds, insects, other animals and plants. The shooting themes include life records, raising the next generation, eating and being eaten, fighting for food, foraging, reproduction, warmth, protecting young, eclosion, interaction, symbiosis, living in groups, etc. Most of the shooting time is during the day, and some are completed at night. In addition to documentary photography as the main axis, it is supplemented by the presentation of photographic aesthetics to try to make the picture present truth, goodness and beauty. Through this artistic feast, we also hope to resonate with the audience and protect all creatures, promote the balance of natural ecosystems, and make the earth more vibrant and better!