THE NATURAL CALL is an interactive art exhibition in which the artist creates an “unnatural” installation. The work is only completed when viewers are invited to awaken the sense of “nature” within themselves through acts of creation. As the saying goes: “Heaven follows nature, humanity follows nature, all things align with nature — this is the sign of true progress in civilization.” The relationship between humankind and nature is eternal and unending.
Throughout history, this relationship has shifted from reverence, awe, and protection to conquest, exploitation, and destruction. Human civilization and the Earth’s ecosystems often appear to be locked in opposition, yet ultimately, humankind cannot overcome nature. Especially since the Industrial Revolution and the invention of countless synthetic materials, humanity has sought a balance between survival and coexistence with the natural world.
In the aftermath of one of the most severe pandemics in recent history, people were left with fragile bodies and confronted by the unknown conditions of survival. Human beings, forcibly separated from ecological systems and “others,” found themselves confined within artificial environments — the concrete, capitalist cities we once believed to be unshakable. In these sealed, “unnatural” spaces, people were compelled to re-examine their identity, seek healing, and rediscover what it means to survive as a natural species. Many of humanity’s so-called “natural” behaviors have been transformed into “unnatural” products. As environmental crises intensify, concepts of sustainability and ecological consciousness have begun to emerge within human civilization.
The materials chosen for the installation — artificial turf, colorful pom-poms, and inflatable chairs — are all “unnatural” substances, manufactured to be “everlasting” and resistant to decay. They embody the eternal link between human material desires and spiritual needs. Yet, their very existence reveals the paradox: these synthetic products hold cultural and psychological value despite their environmental cost. Within the exhibition, the artist invites participants to create handmade “unnatural” works using discarded materials. These can be seen as humanity’s self-made “new species” or “new forms of life.”
Recent scientific discoveries reveal that new chemical compounds are appearing within living organisms. Nature, perhaps, possesses the ability to regenerate — but this regeneration will inevitably incorporate the byproducts of human civilization. Artificial materials and human interventions will, in time, weave themselves into the DNA of the natural cycle. The new “species” born out of this artistic process embody transformed identities, expressing how humanity adapts and evolves in an ever-changing environment.
The installation also creates a psychological “resting ground” with artificial turf as its base. The plastic material serves as both a projection of modern human desires and a mediator between “nature” and “non-nature.” Scattered across the grass are hand-painted messages in acrylic, offering optimistic affirmations that guide viewers toward joy. One such message reads: “Find your song & sing it.” Music, though intangible, has always been one of the strongest spiritual forces in human culture, marking a profound distinction between humanity and all other species.
Three inflatable chairs are positioned within the space, each symbolizing an essential human element: “Banana” — representing humor and survival in the history of human society; “Wisdom” — embodying our lifelong pursuit of knowledge; and “Passion” — the driving force that sustains the meaning of life. Visitors are invited to choose and interact with these colorful seats, adjusting their states of rest, and immersing themselves in this artificial “nature.”
Meanwhile, the pom-poms scattered across the turf serve as cheering props for the soul, like blossoms sprouting from synthetic soil. These man-made symbols create dialogue between visual experience and physical interaction, encouraging participants to release their innermost selves. The final message, “Cheer your life,” calls upon viewers to celebrate their own human existence.

Artist Biography
Hsu, Chia-Chen (許家蓁)
Education
2013 M.A. in Art Education, School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), USA
2010 B.F.A., Emily Carr University of Art + Design (ECUAD), Canada
Awards
2023 Finalist, Taiwan Annual Arts Exhibition Award
2013 Best Leadership Award, SAIC Student Council
2012 Graduate Scholarship, SAIC Art Education Program
2009 First Prize, Western Painting, Vancouver Chinese Art Association Exhibition
2008 Excellence Scholarship, Emily Carr University of Art + Design
Solo Exhibitions
2018 The Colors of Blossoming Mountains, Far Eastern Humanitarian Museum, Taiwan
2017 Solo Exhibition of Hsu Chia-Chen, Godo Enterprise Group, Taiwan
2016 NOT IN TREND, Taiwan Cultural and Creative Foundation, Taiwan
2014 Cloud of Thought, mad L Alternative Space, Taiwan
2014 Colorful Valleys of Play, Tien-Chang Creative Space, Taiwan
2014 Colorful Valleys of Play, Nantou Hospital, Taiwan
2014 Cloud of Thought, FreeS Art Studio, Taiwan
Group Exhibitions (Selected)
2024 Taiwan–Israel Artist Co-Creation Workshop, Taiwan
2023 Taiwan Annual Arts Exhibition, Taichung Port Art Center, Taiwan
2021 Infinite Moments: Contemporary Women Artists, National Cheng Kung University Art Center, Taiwan
2018 Homes of the Heart, Taiwan Women’s Art Association, Taiwan
2017 Independent Art Fair, Taiwan
2016 Absent Breath, Tainan Art Festival, Taiwan
2016 Private Scars, Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, Taiwan
2015 Fragments, Broken Pieces, Banqiao 435 Art Zone, Taiwan
2015 Points, Lines, Planes: Resonance of a New Generation, Sun Ten Art Space, Taiwan
2015 Kaohsiung Art Fair, Pier-2 Art Center, Taiwan
2014 Super Novart, FreeS Art Studio, Taiwan
2014 Makeup. Painting. Nature, Star of Tiding Art Exhibition, Taiwan
2013 Tokyo International Art Fair, Japan
2012 Because We Care, Online Exhibition
2012 Graduation Exhibition, Emily Carr University of Art + Design, Canada
2010 A Complete Thought, YacTac Gallery, Canada
2010 ECUAD Book Arts Exhibition, Port Moody Arts Center, Canada
2010 Gestation Sublime, Concourse Gallery, Canada
2009 Waywoose Printmaking Exhibition, Vancouver Public Library, Canada
2009 Vancouver Chinese Art Association Exhibition, Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Vancouver, Canada
2009 Animality, Stray Gallery, Canada
2009 Moving Images, Concourse Gallery, Canada
2009 ECUAD Book Arts Exhibition, ECUAD Library, Canada
2008 Van Dusen Park Painting Exhibition, Concourse Gallery, Canada
2008 Art Book Exhibition, Concourse Gallery, Canada
2006 Freshmen Exhibition, Concourse Gallery, Canada
Collections
Crossing the River, Taiwan Art Bank (selected, later acquired, thus ineligible for re-review)
Crossing the River, Tainan Earthquake Monument Charity Collection
Numerous, Simon Fraser University Library, Canada
Various private collections
Press & Publications
2016 An Artist Who Sees Through Life and Death, Youth Daily, Taiwan Ministry of National Defense
2012 Emily Carr Graduation Show – Taiwanese Student Shines, Vancouver Sun
2010 Gestation Sublime, Exhibition Catalog
Lectures & Talks
2024 Why Am I Worth 3.65 Million?, Xinshe Branch, Taichung Public Library, Taiwan
2016–2021 Introduction to Art, Dayeh University, Taiwan
2015 IOH Overseas Workshop: Study Abroad Experience Sharing, Taiwan
2014 Cloud of Thought + Study Abroad Experience Sharing, FreeS Art Studio, Taiwan
2013 Graduate Research Symposium in Art Education, SAIC, USA
2012 NAEA Graduate Student Symposium, SAIC, USA
2011 NAEA National Art Education Conference, New York, USA