Shi Jinsong, who came to prominence at the age of 17 and now aged 54, is best known as a contemporary sculptor. In fact, he has explored a variety of art forms, including sculpture, installation, multimedia video and theater experiments. Shi's artworks have been exhibited in world-renowned art venues, reflecting his understanding of traditional Chinese culture and contemporary art. He hopes his works will spark a conversation among viewers and stimulate thinking, rather than passively convey an idea.  

"For me, traditional art is like nutrition for a boxer. Boxers eat beef, protein and a lot of nutrients; or in other words, just like a human being has to eat a lot of things to build up nutrition and then face all the circumstances of life. That is the foundation. The body is made up of many things, so the energy of the traditional stuff must be a very important part," said Shi.

Stones, trees and bamboo – it's like walking into a garden when you enter Shi's studio. Various materials are used to create the scenery, and these elements are the source of inspiration for what he has named the "Garden in the Living Room". 

In 2005, he conceptualized his well-known "Song" series, the Chinese word for pine tree. 

"At that time, the road was being built near our yard, and the forest was gone. When I saw the broken branches and fallen leaves all over the ground, I was very sad, and I hoped to revive them. So I cleaned them out, reassembled them, and I wanted to restore them as a tree. What did the tree look like? It must have been a tree or something like that in my memory, so it was revived in a traditional way."

Shi loves nature. His artworks show the beauty of ink painting in a unique way, as well as thoughts about relationships with nature, evident in the exhibition "Reflection" in Shanghai.

"In fact, there is a special feature in my artwork. Most of the time we think of art as a form of expression, but for me it is more often a natural flow, a reaction after thinking. Just like the 'river.' We did the original work when we were researching in Australia. Typically, we see forest fires as a disaster caused by something going wrong. But you could also think of it as a natural breathing process. The fires may seem destructive, but often the end signifies a new beginning."

Shi has been optimistic about the impact of artificial intelligence. Just as cameras haven't replaced painters, he believes the role of the artist is flexible. 

"If the artist's work is a function, then artificial intelligence will definitely replace some of the artist's functions at some point. But the artist has existed from ancient times to the present, and after many iterations, I think it will exist in different ways in different periods. For example, an artist today actually plays the role of an innocent child who lives in people's hearts. In fact, the artist indicates a kind of reaction, even a kind of public opinion and empathy."

In almost all of Shi's works, he has tried to discuss the relationship between humans and nature, or imagine a pure and perhaps wild future.  

Contrary to his gentle personality, Shi's works are hardcore, powerful and experimental. He has also insisted that the creator must be sincere, feel the change of the world and follow natural reactions. 

"Artists are often sensitive. They are reckless, so it can provide a kind of experience that people may not feel in the normal state. It is not a projection of knowledge, nor a transmission, but an opportunity for the production of knowledge. At this time we say that an artist's work is like a child's cry; it makes you think."