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# Project Description Bonself Yixuan Song Summary Final work College Central Saint Martins Course MA Biodesign Graduation year 2025 Bonself is an “Algae-based” art experiment grounded in ecological philosophy and ethical design. It aims to critique the traditional art of bonsai, which achieves formal beauty through the domestication and manipulation of plants. This anthropocentric aesthetic practice stands in conflict with contemporary values of sustainability and respect for life. Bonself seeks to break away from this aesthetic logic by rethinking the human–nature relationship through the lens of Eastern philosophical traditions and decentralized ecological thought. Using algae as a living medium, the project offers a new form of plant art that integrates the principles of “Dao follows Nature” and the Doctrine of the Mean—not striving for extreme intervention or total abandonment but pursuing a dynamic balance of symbiotic coexistence. Final work Bonself A rethinking of the relationship between humans and nature. An alternative perspective — one that is softer, more respectful, and more alive in bonsai form. View Gallery View Gallery View Gallery View Gallery View Gallery View Gallery View Gallery View Gallery Research and process View Gallery View Gallery View Gallery View Gallery View Gallery Share this project Bonself is an “Algae-based” art experiment grounded in ecological philosophy and ethical design. It aims to critique the traditional art of bonsai, which achieves formal beauty through the domestication and manipulation of plants. This anthropocentric aesthetic practice stands... A link to this page has been added to your clipboard Browse related work Beyond Human Aesthetics Nature & Environment Climate Emergency Craft & Process Futures Materiality Biodesign Ethics Plants Speculative Future
# Links ## Official page - https://ualshowcase.arts.ac.uk/project/641151/cover ## External - https://www.instagram.com/song.1xuan - mailto:Song1xuan@gmail.com - https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fualshowcase.arts.ac.uk%2Fproject%2F641151%2Fcover&text=Bonself - https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fualshowcase.arts.ac.uk%2Fproject%2F641151%2Fcover&media=https%3A%2F%2Fportfolio-tools.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F06%2F14003930%2FStudio-Session-120-2.jpg&description=Bonself