Graduate Exhibition

Tong Shu's work reveals the modern disconnection between nature and humanity. Tong believes that a muddy jungle of concrete can hardly provide people with the calming atmosphere of nature, consequently leading to a chaotic state of mind. Drawing on her East Asian cultural background, when Tong encounters nature she feels a sense of respect and spiritual purification. Influenced by her personal practice of creating bonsai and moss art, Tong is often overwhelmed by the aesthetic beauty and calmness of nature. From these personal experiences, Tong began to explore how nature can be used as a form of meditation, particularly looking at how Zen and garden art influence and supplement each other. Tong has consequently created a Zen stone garden as a personal response to modern anxiety, and hopes this installation will assist others in coping with anxiety too. This project ultimately manifests in a small zen stone garden installation composed of moss, stone, sand, and found objects from nature.