The Natural History of an Island

  • The Natural History of an Island, Artists: Ang Song Nian, Chow and Lin, Geraldine Kang, John Clang, Kevin W Y...

    The Natural History of an Island

    Artists: Ang Song Nian, Chow and Lin, Geraldine Kang, John Clang, Kevin W Y Lee, Marvin Tang, Robert Zhao Renhui, Syahrul Anuar, Woong Soak Teng

    Curated by Gwen Lee

    Institutional Partner: DECK

     

    Running parallel to the history of Singapore as an island city-state, "The Natural History of an Island" features 10 artists who explore the historical and contemporary narratives through photographs, installations and films. 

    Prior to her independence in 1965, the story of Singapore began with the legendary sighting of a lion on her shores by a prince from Palembang. In the 19th century, the island, then known as "Singapura", developed as a strategic colonial outpost by the British in Southeast Asia, and very soon became a bustling port in the Southern Sea for migrants. By the 21st century, Singapore became popularly known as the "little red dot" blossoming into a garden city. 

    Across time and history, the perceived nature and the natural are made to fall within perimeters of our constructed relationship with the island, and subjected to the allocation of resources and manpower. Our connection with the island and understanding of its narratives are thus shaped by the environment resulting from human interventions, control and fabrication.

    While the exhibition ruminates on the many representations of the island which are perpetually created and altered by humans, the "Garden in the City" stands as evidence and witness to its own growth.

  • Geraldine Kang, Under the Guise of Surface, 2014. Archival inkjet print, 115cm x 76.6cm. Courtesy of the artist.

  • Ang Song Nian, As They Grow Older and Wiser, 2016. UV print, 225cm x 180cm. Courtesy of the artist.

  • Chow and Lin, Equivalence - Cans, 2017. Archival inkjet print, 1001 prints, each 20cm x 13.4cm. Courtesy of the artist.

  • John Clang, The Land of My Heart, 2014. Fine art archival print, 101.6cm x 149.7cm. Courtesy of the artist.

  • Kevin WY Lee, Suddenly the Grass Became Greener, 2015. Print on washi paper, varied dimensions. Courtesy of the artist.

  • Marvin Tang, The Colony, 2019. Archival inkjet print, 13.8cm x 9.8cm. Courtesy of the artist.

  • Robert Zhao Renhui, New Worlds, 2021. Archival inkjet print, 29.7cm x 21cm. Courtesy of the artist.

  • Syahrul Anuar, Now Is When?, 2020. Two-channel 4K Panels, 15 min 24 sec. Courtesy of the artist.

  • Woong Soak Teng, Some Pictures of Representations, 2018. Photobook, 34.5cm x 25.5cm. Courtesy of the artist.