“Do Not Climb”
2023
LI YAOZE
This work embodies the image of "Terminus," symbolizing human territory and boundaries—a powerful and stern figure representing the rules and authority we establish within our living space. Beneath this idol, a black cat lies on the ground, its gaze fixed on the figure. The cat looks puzzled, as if wondering, "What is this? Is it my toy?" The head of the idol is a cat toy, creating a strange contrast that emphasizes the seriousness of human-set rules while also giving the impression that these rules might be nothing more than some absurd "toy."
This reminds me of a simple daily struggle between me and the cat. Once, we both competed for the right to use a chair. I tried to sit in it, only to find it already occupied. The cat jumped up and lay there, and although I tried to shoo it away, it just stared at me, unflinching. In that moment, I realized that to it, that chair was its "territory," and I, bound by human rules, had become the "intruder." Behind this seemingly trivial conflict lies a deeper reflection: what do our rules and boundaries truly mean? And to pets, these rules might seem like toys—perhaps meaningless or even laughable.
Through this lighthearted everyday interaction, I aim to make the work not just about the relationship between humans and animals but also a reflection on the rules and boundaries we set for ourselves. We live within a system we’ve created, but what is it really for? How does it influence the way we interact with the world around us, especially with pets and other living beings? This is a game between humans and nature, humans and animals, and in the eyes of animals, perhaps the rules we live by are just a pointless game.
这件作品呈现出“终点”（Terminus）的形象，象征着人类所设定的领土和边界——一个强大而严肃的存在，代表着我们在生活空间中建立的规则与权威。在这座神像下方，一只黑猫静静地躺在地上，目光锁定在这尊神像上。猫咪看上去充满困惑，仿佛在疑问：“这是什么？是我的玩具吗？”而这尊神像的头部竟然是一只猫玩具，形成了一种奇异的对比，既凸显了人类所设定规则的严肃性，又让人觉得这些规则或许只不过是荒诞的“玩具”。
这让我想起了我和猫之间的一次简单日常争斗。那时我们争夺一把椅子的使用权，我试图坐下，却发现椅子已被占用。猫跳上椅子趴下，尽管我试图把它赶走，它依然毫不示弱地盯着我看。那一刻，我意识到，对它来说，那把椅子就是它的“领土”，而我，受限于人类的规则，成了“入侵者”。在这看似微不足道的冲突背后，其实蕴含着一个更深刻的思考：我们的规则和边界到底意味着什么？而对于宠物来说，这些规则或许就像玩具——既毫无意义，甚至显得可笑。
通过这段轻松的日常互动，我试图使这件作品不仅仅关乎人类与动物之间的关系，而更是对我们为自己设定的规则和边界的一种反思。我们生活在自己构建的体系中，但这究竟是为了什么？它又如何影响我们与周围世界，尤其是与宠物以及其他生物的互动？这是一场关于人类与自然、人类与动物之间的游戏，而在动物看来，我们遵循的那些规则或许只是一场毫无意义的游戏。