Plant Kingdom by Zhongze Cai

‘’Plant Kingdom” is a still life photography project, which is to bring dead plants and fruits back to life in a new world. In our daily life, food is wasted by disposing of things like fruits once they go beyond their freshness date. The dustbins at the supermarket are often filled with groceries that have gone bad which, in my view, is total wastage. By virtue of having passed the freshness date, the fruits and plants are condemned to die and decompose without any consideration that they possess a life like any other. The Plant Kingdom is a representation of life in another entirely different dimension that should be perceived as a stand-alone aspect independent of human perceptions. My work of art embodies inferences made on deep ecology by Richard Sylvan, a philosopher synonymous with showing great interest in the manifestations of nature. One such inference is that “natural items have value qualities independently of perceivers”. With this in mind, my art aspires to bring to the surface traits in plants such as beauty, resilience, and the infinite continuity of life.