Title: Dung Beetle
Material: Cardboard, soil, fabric
Size: 30 x 15 inches
Decomposition and decay are the cyclical processes that sustain life on Earth, and they play an important role of perishing to flourishing in the ecological environment. For this project, we need to make something that is honoring to the decomposition and decay of organic matter, and pay attention to the revitalization of the ecosystem. However, the first thing that came to my mind was the dung beetle. Most dung beetles are dung feeders, feeding on animal dung, and are known as “nature’s scavengers”. They usually perched in cow dung pile, human excrement pile, or in the dunghill under the digging soil cave, but also the body of the animal excrement and urine, etc. Additionally, The dung beetle can turn the dung into a ball, and lays its eggs on the dung ball and buries them. The hatched larvae feed on ready-made dung balls until they grow into adults. Although many people find the dung beetle is very disgusting. The dung beetle plays a critical role in the ecosystem balance as a member of the natural world. The ecological value of dung beetles includes transport of dung to the ground, secondary seed dispersal, pollination, pest control and intermediate host of parasites, as well as extensive development and application prospects, important bionics and theoretical significance. Dung beetles not only have an impact on the ecological environment, but also have a profound impact on humanity’s ideological and cultural consciousness. For example, to the ancient Egyptians, the dung beetle was a sacred animal. In Egypt, dung beetle’s totem merchandise, images and writings are ubiquitous. It is not only a shield against evil, but also a symbol of immortality and justice in life. In this project, I mainly use cardboard to make the beetle, and I use the soil as a natural material to make the dung in order to tell people not to be afraid of the dung beetle. They are just part of the nature, and inseparable from the perishing to flourishing in the ecological environment.
