The Unshakeable Bond between Human and Animal

By Ashley

Dae Byu, How to Move Ice Cream, Fiber Glass Resin, 104 x 30 x 93 cm

Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened. ― Anatole France

As co-inhabitants of earth, humans and animals hold a unique and ever growing connection. In the past, animals mainly provided protection and service to people, from hunting to farming, some even serving in the front lines of war. These days, different animals continue to play different but integral roles in our lives, with some training to become service animals for people with disabilities or even becoming domestic pets that become a part of our family. In this series, let us explore how artists Dae Byu, Adi Gunawan and Xie Ai Ge pay homage to the extra special relationship between human and animal.

Born in Hunan province in 1977, Xie Ai Ge made her name in the international art world with a host of remarkable works in bronze and synthetic materials. In her series featured today, Xie was inspired by her childhood of growing up in the mountains where she had access to nature, but little access to stuffed toys. Similarly, Adi Gunawan, who was born in Yogyakarta in 1974, also grew up in an agrarian society, which became a source of inspiration for him to depict the mystical relationship between animals and humans. Dae Byu, the final artist featured today, was born 1972 in Busan, Korea. His art practice invokes the "animalization of humans" and the "humanization of animals” to look directly at the problems society is facing today. Even though all three artists grew up in different geographic locations, the influence of nature and animals in their work is undeniable.

We are like other animals; we live and die as they do. If there is any afterlife, I believe we are in it together. ― Bangambiki Habyarimana

Adi Gunawan, Sahabat (Best Friend), Bronze Painted, 40 x 25 x 40 cm

Xie Ai Ge, Good Brother (哥倆好), Bronze, 98 x 60 x 128 cm

In Xie Ai Ge and Adi Gunawan’s playful sculptures, humans and animals are not only best friends, but blood brothers. In Sahabat (Best Friend), a smiling man holds a plump pig to his chest, both sharing toothy grins as they enjoy each other’s company, The clarity of their jovial expressions and relaxed body language bears testament to Gunawan’s mastery of sculpting narratively rich stories. Similarly, Good Brother (哥倆好) features a human-sized stuffed bear, with his arms on the shoulder of his brother, ready to go off on another adventure. Thus, in both sculptures, the relationship between human and animal is one of trust and intimacy, surpassing any inability to communicate or understand each other.

Animals are reliable, many full of love, true in their affections, predictable in their actions, grateful and loyal. - Alfred Armand Montapert

Xie Ai Ge, A Warm Buddy (温暖者), Bronze, 106 x 42 x 42 cm

Adi Gunawan, The Winner, Bronze Painted, 40 x 30 x 40 cm

In the next set of sculptures, humans and animals continue to uplift each other in warmth and comfort. In A Warm Buddy (温暖者), a child sits atop the bear’s shoulders, gleefully and gently touching the bear’s head. The subtle smile on the bear’s face conveys his protective instinct to care for the child. Moreover, in The Winner, a man likewise sits atop a bull, this time with both arms raised in jubilation, proclaiming his victory. Although the bull and the man seem to have a different relationship to the child and his bear, the bull still dutifully and reliably props the man up in support of his victory. Once again, Xie Ai Ge and Adi Gunawan’s narrative sculptures beautifully tells a story of the sacred relationship between man and animal - it is a connection that cannot be severed nor destroyed.

Dae Byu, A Bear Reading A Book, Fiber Glass, 50 x 40 x 40 cm

Dae Byu, Bear, Fiber Resin, 85 x 40 x 50 cm

Dae Byu’s delightful sculptures A Bear Reading A Book and Bear feature a family of polar bears playing and learning together - with one baby bear balancing on his mama’s legs while the other depicting three boisterous children gathering around their parent’s lap to read a book. Both sculptures showcase Dae Buy’s signature delicate and pastel colour palette, creating a dreamlike aesthetic. Moreover, his “animal-human” approach to art shines through in these works as the polar bears interact in ways that are strikingly similar to humans, with their facial expressions and body language completely human-like.

By drawing such a comparison between human and animals, Dae Byu suggests that humans and animals are one and the same, and we should treat animals the way we treat other humans - with respect. Through his narrative sculptures, Dae Byu explores climate change and the environmental impacts of modernisation, with his playful stories a reminder that we should treat the land we live on and the animals that reside on it with tenderness and care. Even as we battle with the ever increasing threat of climate change and human pollution, we must remind ourselves to treat our animals with love and with care.

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