“Look at Each Other”
2021
LI YAOZE
I placed the animal inside a massive cage. In doing so, I created a kind of zoo—a space of observation, separation, and control. As the observer, I maintain a limited relationship with the animal, one that is shaped and constrained by the boundaries of this man-made structure.
The iron cage functions not only as a physical prison but also as a symbol of confinement and exclusion. It reflects how animals, once part of our shared environment, are now gradually pushed to the periphery of human society—contained, regulated, and distanced.
What captivates me is the way animals look at humans. Their gaze is often still, direct, and unwavering. They observe other species too, of course, but there is something different in the way they look at us—something that feels intentional. Strikingly, it is only humans who recognize this look for what it is. Other animals may shy away from such a stare, but humans meet it, understand it. In that moment, something unspoken is exchanged—a quiet, intense recognition. A gaze that cuts through the bars.
我把那只动物放进了一个巨大的笼子里，这样一来，我创造出了一种类似于动物园的空间——一个供观察、隔离和控制的场所。作为观察者，我与动物之间保持着一种有限的关系，这种关系正是由这个人造结构的边界所塑造和限制的。
这座铁笼不仅仅是一个物理上的囚笼，更是束缚与排斥的象征。它反映出，曾经生活在我们共同环境中的动物如今正逐渐被推向人类社会的边缘——被限制、管控、并且与我们疏远。
吸引我注意的是动物看向人类的方式。它们的眼神常常是静止、直接且坚定不移的。当然，它们也会观察其他物种，但它们望向我们时的目光却显得格外不同，仿佛蕴含着刻意的深意。令人印象深刻的是，只有人类能够真正解读这种目光，而其他动物可能会避开这种凝视。就在那一刻，无声之间传递出一种安静而强烈的认同——一种穿过铁栏的凝视。