风铃
重⾦属是指⽐重⼤于5的⾦属，尽管其中部分是⽣命活动所需要的微量元素，但⼤部分并⾮⽣命活动所必需，⽽超过⼀定浓度则对⽣物有毒。⽽环境中超量富集的重⾦属普遍源于⼯业⽣产等⾏为，如超量的铜、铅、镉、汞等与⼈类⾏为相关性极强。更重要的是，重⾦属是⼀种稳定性极⾼的元素，当它进⼊环境后即能造成持久性的伤害，且易转移⽽不易移除。超稳定性也就意味着重⾦属能在⼀个超过⼈类物种⽣存时间的地质时间框架内持续存在，即⼈类的⾏为遗产将成为这个星球在近期和未来的特征。这种对环境的持久性改变已具有普遍性，所以，我认为从环境中的重⾦属作为切⼊点去思考创作具有很⼤的空间。
于是我关注到了贵屿镇，⼀个位于汕头郊外的⼩镇。它从90年代开始接收国外的电⼦垃圾，并通过粗放式的冶⾦技术从电⼦垃圾中炼⾦。⽽这个粗放的过程伴随的就是化学物质、重⾦属与有机污染物在环境中的⼤释放，使贵屿在2000年初被贴上“全球最毒之地”的标签。⽽在2013年开始整治后也有近⼗年时间，那些重⾦属被抹去了吗？从国际垃圾贸易到区域环境的剥削，再到验证⼈类⾏为痕迹等⽅⾯，对贵屿的研究有潜⼒承载更⼴阔的议题。
在贵屿境内的重⾦属污染研究中，铜的污染程度与范围是最严重之⼀。这是因为⼤量的电⼦产品使⽤了铜线、铜板等铜制品，且铜的形态游移多变，⾮常容易沉积与扩散。你能在贵屿镇任何⼀个⾓落检测到铜的痕迹，⽔中、⼟壤中、植物中，也包括⼈的⽑发与胎盘中。
铜来⾃对铜矿的开采，矿⽯源⾃岩浆。远古时代铜作为岩⽯的⼀部分在⼭川中沉睡。⽽到古代，铜被⽤来制作礼器等象征“⼈类⽂明”的器物，浇灌塑造的形状与敲击的声响是铜的存在形态。在现今，铜是⼀种⽤途极⼴的贱⾦属，是作为导线的最佳材料，它也成为承载电⼦世界的物质基础。如果放眼未来，⼈类的世界向“虚拟世界”转移，铜等重⾦属必定随着电⼦⼯业的发展⽽更加⽆差别的向环境扩散。当⼈类归于沉寂，铜早已不在⼭川中沉睡，它会作为⼈的墓志铭烙印在所有的⾃然造物中。
我们如何能感知到平凡下的异常？沉积在环境中的重⾦属已转移成其他的形态，⽽检测只能以数值来呈现它们存在的事实。当风吹拂植物，那温柔的细嗦声绝对让⼈想不到其体内蕴含的重⾦属元素。⽽假若把其体内的重⾦属提取还原，它被风吹拂、摩擦后又会发出怎样的声响？
我要靠⼀颗风铃的声⾳让⼈感知到这⼀切，我要将当地植物（⽔稻、芦苇等）中的铜提取出来，将它制成⼀⼩颗风铃，让它树⽴在⽥间，与万物⼀起被风吹拂，在摇晃中发出独属于⾦属的声响。任四季轮转，物是⼈⾮，风铃吹动响声会与这⽚异化的⼟地共存。
我们从⼭川中冶⾦，从电⼦中冶⾦，从植物中冶⾦，这过程呈现了重⾦属在⼈类⾏为下的流转。
Heavy metals are metals with a density greater than 5 g/cm 3. Most of them are not essential for life activities and can be harmful to organisms when they are excessive. Usually, the excessive presence of heavy metals in the environment is due to human activities such as industrial production, and includes metals such as copper, lead, cadmium, and mercury. More importantly, heavy metal elements have extremely high stability and are easily transferred but not easily removed, which can cause long-lasting damage to the environment. The ultra-stability of heavy metals means that their presence will outlast human life, and the heavy metals left behind by human activities will affect the characteristics of the Earth both now and in the future. The persistent changes that heavy metal residues cause in the environment are universal, so I believe there is a great deal of potential for using heavy metals in the environment as a starting point for creation.
So I began to pay attention to Guiyu, a small town located on the outskirts of Shantou. Since the 1990s, it has been receiving electronic waste from abroad and refining metals from the waste through crude metallurgical techniques. Along with this process that has not been strictly managed and finely operated comes the emission of chemical substances, heavy metals, and organic pollutants into the environment - Guiyu was labeled as "the most toxic place on Earth" in the early 2000s. Since the remediation began in 2013, almost a decade has passed. Have those heavy metals been eliminated? From transnational waste trade to regional environmental exploitation, and to how humans face their own improper behavior, the issues raised due to Guiyu's environmental problems carry a lot of weight.
Among the heavy metal pollutants in Guiyu town, copper contamination levels and the scope of contamination are among the highest. This is because a large number of electronic products use components such as copper wires and copper plates, and copper exists in many forms, making it very easy to transfer, spread, and deposit. Copper is present in almost every corner of Guiyu town: in water, soil, plants, and even in human hair and placenta.
Copper comes from the mining of copper ore, which originates from magma. In ancient times, copper slept in the mountains as a part of rocks. As time passed, copper was used to make ritual vessels and other objects that symbolized "human civilization". The appearance, shape, and sound of the copper vessels formed people's understanding of copper. Today, copper is a widely used and inexpensive metal. It is the best material for conductors and the material basis for the realization of the electronic world. Looking to the future, as the world becomes more virtual, heavy metals such as copper will inevitably spread in the environment with the development of the electronic industry. When the human race has fallen silent, copper will not only lie dormant in the mountains but will be engraved in all natural creations as a tombstone of human civilization.
How can we perceive anomalies in the ordinary? Heavy metals deposited in the environment have been transformed into other forms, and detection can only present the fact of their presence in numerical terms. When the wind blows on a plant, the gentle frictional sound definitely doesn't make people think of the heavy metal elements contained inside the plant. If the heavy metals in its body are extracted and reduced, what sound will it make when it is blown by the wind?
I want to make people aware of all of this through the sound of a wind chime. I will extract copper from local plants such as rice and reeds, and shape it into a small wind chime that will sway in the fields with all things and emit a unique metallic sound in the wind. As the seasons change and things come and go, the sound of the wind chime will coexist with this land.
We metallise from peaks, from electronics and from plants, showing the circulation of heavy metals in human activities.
缘起 Where everything begins
我之前的创作是从⽣物应对环境变化的特性出发，例如真菌菌丝对⽯油的吸附和降解能⼒，还有对⼟壤重⾦属的富集⼒。我也是从这开始关注⼟壤的重⾦属污染的问题，以及开始去了解其他有重⾦属的富集能⼒的⽣物。
城市中的重⾦属污染多与开矿、冶⾦、电镀等有关，这其中⽐较特别的是电⼦冶⾦，电⼦产品已经成为了新的矿藏，⽆数被淘汰的电⼦产品成为了回收者的⾦矿”，贵屿则是其中⼀处“淘⾦地”。联通虚拟世界的⾦属元件在这⾥被拆解、溶化，⾦属废液被抛⼊河流，这些元素也借此进⼊了另⼀张⽣命联通的⽹络。
我尝试通过“风铃”重新连接断裂的链条，我们通过“电⼦冶⾦”抛洒在⼤地上的⼀切，并不会蒸发，⾦属元素随着河流在物与物的体内流转，停歇在某处后，沉积又沉积，哪怕经过⼏轮⽣死，它们仍在（甚⾄⽐我们的⽣命更为长久），⽽我在贵屿捕捉到了这些游离的⾦属元素。
My previous works started from the properties of organisms that respond to environmental changes, such as the absorption and degradation ability of fungal mycelia to petroleum and the enrichment ability of heavy metals in soil. This is where I started to look at the problem of heavy metal pollution in soil and I also began to work on other organisms with the ability to enrich heavy metals.
Heavy metal pollution in the city is often associated with mining, metallurgy, electroplating and other industries. Among them, electronic metallurgy is particularly noteworthy. Electronic products have become a new source of minerals, countless discarded electronic products have been seen as the gold mines of recyclers, of which Guiyu is one. Here, the metal components that have once constructed the virtual world are dismantled, melted and turned to wastes, then they are discharged into rivers, where they enter another network of life.
I tried to reconnect the broken chains through this project – “Windchime”. Everything that we toss on the earth because of electronic metallurgy does not evaporate. The metals are taken in and excreted by animals and plants as the river flows. They remain an existence beyond life and death. I was able to collect these released metal elements in Guiyu.
贵屿⼗年 Ten years in Guiyu
贵屿从开始整治迄今已经约⼗年。在贵屿我只是个不速之客，到处转悠，四处攀谈，与其说是“调研”，不如说是“观察”。初⼊贵屿时，我只觉得这是个作坊遍布的⼩镇，到处都堆满了⽩⾊集装袋。⿊⾊的烟尘、刺⿐的⽓味今天都已经没有了，镇⼦⾥的作坊⼤多只负责拆解分拣电⼦产品的⼯作，酸浸等⾼污染的⼯作都集中在绿⾊循环公司处理。部分区域转型成了内⾐⼚，⽿机⼚，感觉⼀切都进⼊了新的秩序。但当我往巷⼦深处⾛⼀⾛，还是能看见⿊黄的河⽔，电⼦废品焚烧后残骸、堆⾼的污泥。这些是未被治理完成的⾓落，也是假领⼦下袒露的肚⽪，曾经场景的⿁魂仍然在这⾥缠绕。
治理⼗余年肯定是有成效的，但我更感兴趣的是如此挽回的⾏为下，超量的重⾦属是否仍在？那些沉淀⾄深处、弥散在表⾯下的痕迹是否还在？重⾦属的持久性是否成为那段时期的铭记？当初⼈们⼀瞬的抛洒和重⾦属元素世代的残留，这种反差是⽐较触动我的。
在贵屿印象最深的就是那些“名字”，镇⼦上每⼀栋⼩楼都有⾃⼰的名字，⼀家⼈住在⾥⾯，⼀楼是作坊，⼆楼是住家。楼的名字写在门前的匾额上，财兴楼、镇兴楼，德兴楼、宏泰楼、振贵楼、华发楼……我能从这些名字中看出村民对⽣活的期盼，在这⽚偏僻匮乏之地谋求⾃⼰的⽣路，其中也确实⾛出了很多富翁。这些被混杂的环境包围着的⼩楼，是⼀个个具体⼈的希望，⽽这些愿景需要得到⼭川⽥野的成全。例如让此地再⽆可以饮⽤的⽔源，换来了数个淘⾦者的成功。我也可以从村落的名字看见该地曾经的样貌，这与现实形成了戏剧式的反差。在⼀个叫树⾹村的村⼦，它的河⽔却是浑⿊刺⿐的；在⼀个叫⾕饶镇的地⽅，却再也没有可以耕种的⽥地。
It has been about ten years since the beginning of the remediation of Guiyu. I was just an outsider in Guiyu, wandering around and conversing, more of an 'observer' than a 'researcher'. When I first arrived in Guiyu, I thought it would be a small town with workshops and piles of white plastic bags everywhere. But now the black smoke and pungent smell have disappeared. Most of the workshops in the town only deal with the disassembly and sorting of electronic products, while the highly polluting processes such as acid leaching are operated by recycling companies that are environmental friendly. Some areas in Guiyu have transformed into factories like lingerie factories and headphone factories. It feels like everything has come into a new order. But as I walked further down the lanes, I could still see the grimy river, the remains of burned electronic scrap and piles of sludge. These untreated corners are still haunted by pollution.
The efforts made over the past decade have certainly been helpful, but I was insisted on finding out whether there are still an excessive amount of heavy metals despite all these great undertakings. Are the heavy metals that entered and settled deep underground still there? Has the persistence of these heavy metals been etched into people's memories of that time? I am intrigued by the stark contrast between the momentary act of people discarding metal waste and the lasting residue of heavy metals on this land that exceeds human generations.
I was most impressed by the fact that each of the houses in Guiyu has its own name, which was written on a plaque above the main entrance – Caixing House, Zhenxing House, Dexing House, Hongtai House, Zhengui House, Huafa House……I could see from these names that the villagers aspired to make their own way in this remote and deprived land, and many of them actually did. People put their dreams in the name of the building, and while heading towards the beautiful picture that they desire, they had to expense the land. The price for the success of countless E-gold seekers was that the land was left without a potable water source. Through the names of some of the small villages I could picture how beautiful they once were, yet such beauty is no longer there and the reality certainly brings a great contrast. In a village called Shuxiang (which means “Fragrant Tree”), the river water is dirty and polluted; and in another called “Abundant Valley”, there is no farmland left for cultivation.
铜的追踪 Copper Tracing
追踪的过程分为两部分，⼀部分是在现场搜寻的时候，如何寻找到可能仍有重⾦属的区域，找到其中超富集的植物。另⼀部分则是如何从选定的植物⾥把⾦属元素还原出来。
在各种野地游荡本⾝也很像探险，哪感觉有问题就去哪，凭⾃⼰的脚⼒慢慢展开对这个区域的认识。⽽在植物选样和冶炼时，作为⼀个业余选⼿，还是挺有挑战的。虽然已经看了很多对贵屿的研究⽂献，但找到⽬标地和合适的植物，⼏乎是⼀场赌注。虽然我知道这平凡的景观下可能藏着残余的⾦属元素，但我⽆法凭借⾁眼判断哪个位置、哪种植物的重⾦属超量到可以成功提炼。
铜是我其中⼀个样品⾥超标成分最多的元素，能捕捉到它的踪迹是我的运⽓，但如何提炼又是个头疼的事情。我本以为这已经是被商业运⽤的技术，应该能很快寻求到实验室的帮助。但科研科系专攻的⽅向⾮常细，询问过的很多研究员都表⽰不知道该技术，⽽且实验室只能做微量的实验，⽆法消化我采集的上百⽄的植物，这⼀度让项⽬进⾏不下去。尽管我从⽂本上已经⾮常了解“植物冶⾦”的过程，但我不知道具体实验的细节，也⽆法⾃⼰操作。多次求助碰壁后，最后我找到了可以协助提炼的实验室，他们陪着我摸索该实验的原理，并成功将铜还原提取了出来。现在回头看，会发现这项技术的原理其实并不难，但作为外⾏⼈，总要绕⼀些远路才能靠近⽬的地。我想如果有领路⼈同⾏的话，那应该是件⾮常幸福的事情。
Two steps are involved to trace the copper element. First, to identify areas where heavy metals residues may exist and to collect plants enriched with heavy metal elements. Then, the metallic elements are reduced from the gathered plant samples.
I felt like I was on an adventure as I wandered and searched through Guiyu. I followed my intuition and let it lead me to the right place; I mobilized my body and all the energy that I have to get to know this place.I had read much of the research literature on Guiyu before I started my work, but it still took some luck to find a suitable area for collecting plant samples. Very often I could not tell with the naked eye where the plants that contains heavy metal are. Moreover, the selection of plant samples as well as the metal reduction was a challenge for me – after all, I am an amateur in this respect.
I found a significant amount of copper in one of the plant samples I had collected, and it was my luck to be able to spot it. Yet how the copper could be extracted from the samples was a more challenging problem. I thought I could count on some kind of technique that was already known in the market, like maybe I could find a lab to help me with such work. But as this is a very niche area of work, many of the institutes and labs I had contacted do not specialize in such work, not to mention that normally laboratories can only carry minute experiments but not dealing with hundreds of pounds of samples. I have hit a bottleneck. I had a good theoretical understanding of how to extract metal compounds from plants, but when it came to the practicalities, I neither knew any detailed procedures of the experiment nor could I do it myself. Luckily I eventually found a laboratory that could assist me with my work and with the instruction of the lab staff I finally got the copper extracted. When I review the whole thing, I find that the technical know-how is not that complicated, but since I’m not an expert, there are always difficulties to be experienced in order to succeed.
微观世界 The microcosm
我们的⽣活本就是⽆⽐复杂的，其中有很多道不明不说清的⽆奈与不⽢，这些种种很难⽤三⾔两语说清楚。光靠数据的话，⼈可能需要⾛⾮常远的距离才能到达被触动的状态，或直接陷在的数据的海洋⾥，⽽对本就⽆感于此的⼈来说更是畏难。但风声、草的摩擦声，⾦属的撞击声，这些是可以很直观的，⽽且超富集型植物集中了柔软⽣命体和坚硬⾦属的⽭盾感。所以我尝试通过“植物冶⾦”将植物体内的⾦属元素还原，让它们被同⼀阵风吹拂、响动。
在微观的世界，“微观物”有⾃⼰的⽣命形式或运转的规则。耐⼼观察它们、释放它们是⾮常必要的。例如真菌，我总是换着不同的⽅式培养它们，时刻留意它们⼀些新奇的变化，并在下⼀次加码。这种朝⼣相处让我了解到它们更多不同的⾯貌，⽽我的创作就常建⽴与这些特性之上。
我也总是想把这些特性和我们的⽣活联系在⼀起，以这些特性作为解读某议题的切⼊点。例如上⽂提到真菌菌丝对油污的吸附与降解⼒，我将此特性与⼀次海上油污泄漏事件相联系。我并没有把它作为修复⾏为的材料，因为个⼈的⾏动⼒量太过渺⼩，但这种渺⼩感却是我想突出的重点。在浪潮下，个⼈想要挽回家园的愿景是⾮常⽆⼒的，这种⽆⼒感⽆法被诉说。但却可以通过作品传递，所以我⽤具有降解⼒的蘑菇做了⼀艘⼩船，让村民驶着它划过被油污覆盖过的海⾯，这艘有些许净化⼒的⼩船与苍茫的海⾯、连绵的油⼚形成强烈的反差，淹没式的对⽐使得修复的努⼒好似泡影。
The world that we live in is intricate and we may not be able to explain what is happening simply through reports and data. That’s why, when considering how to present my project, I felt the need to bring into being something more visual and perceptual rather than just putting a bunch of data in front of the audience since that is not subtle enough, although my research contain a lot of data. I thought of the sound of the wind, the swish of the grass, and how metal sounds when hitting each other……things that we all feel in our daily lives. I wanted to make a metal object out of the metal extracted from the plant samples and let it swing and chime in the wind. By that we can all feel the contrast between the softness of life and the hardness of metal.
I have been surprised by microorganisms. They have their own way of being and unique laws of life. I enjoy culturing fungi and I often change conditions for them, noticing how that has brought new changes to the fungi, by which I have got to know how variable it is and it nourishes my art as well.
I tried to relate what I had observed from the fungus to what had happened in our society as a starting point for explaining a certain topic. Previously, I mentioned about the ability of fungal hyphae to absorb and degrade oil, and I found it possible to create a dialogue with an oil spill at sea that happed not so long ago. Yet I didn’t just take the fungi as a solution, because that would be like a flea trying to move a tree, and I feel so small. But it’s this sense of smallness that I want to highlight. Individuals may feel powerless when facing their wish for saving their homeland, and there may be no solution to this feeling of powerlessness, but it can be transmitted between people through art works. I made a small boat with mushrooms that have the ability to degrade, and I asked the villagers to row it across the oil-covered sea. This small boat with limited purification power contrasts strongly with the vast sea and the numerous oil factories on the shore. Such overwhelming comparison makes the effort of restoration seem like a bubble, bursting with futility.
