Behind the magnificent piece is Liang's long-term creative approach, which not only honors the vigor of silkworms but also nature's miraculous power and the influence of human activities.

Also a featured artist in the exhibition, Cao Shu says the display exposes the "bugs (problems)" of the world and provides no answers. His video work, Phantom Sugar, revolves around the routine patrols of a drone in a future world in which humans no longer exist, and algorithms control the management of plant growing; one day, the drone spots an ant and recollects the memories of the past in which it worked for a human.

Lu Xiaobo, director of the Tsinghua University Art Museum, says: "Hopefully, the exhibition will bring people novel experiences in nature, vitality for all lives, and the creativity of humans by opening up dialogue about art and technology, and the coexistence of tradition and modernization."