"soil" Of Media Value

This graduation thesis was based on my graduation work 《Growing while Disappearing》. It explained my understanding of how "earth" worked as medium in local culture, and how I considered sculpture materials as medium and spirit. It also discussed my personal opinion that materials work as medium and exude the notion of culture, which formed during my study of "artistic medium of open space". The main contents include that "earth" acts as medium when used as material, and the analysis and culture valuation of earth’s features in the level of humanity.It is said in the ancient historical document of China Shang Shu when referred to the five elements that "nothing grows without earth which is extremely useful to human beings". However, the basic material that we use to make sculpture is mud, which is the mixture of water and earth. Thus mud, which made of two materials, has two attributes. Nevertheless, when water evaporates, mud turns back earth. This proves that the philosophical thought in eastern and western religions and myth that everything grows from the earth and dies in the earth is based on the schedule that matter goes according to, which is scientific. Therefore, the formulation that earth is the mother of the universe is essential, and we can come into a conclusion that water together with earth composes material. Meanwhile, the motion of water and earth also reflects the philosophical thought called "metempsychosis" in eastern culture, and played an important role of revealing the medium relationship between life and nature.This thesis only discussed whether earth, when used as sculpture material, can work as medium to transfer thoughts or not. Moreover, I studied the local art form which use earth as material, and made my point, and finally came to a pretty clear conclusion that earth can transfer thoughts when acted as artistic medium.