About the event
Seeing Forest is a project that was conceived by Robert Zhao Renhui for the Singapore Pavilion at the 60th International Art Exhibition ‒ La Biennale di Venezia in 2024.
Observation of the ultimately unknowable in the natural world is a hallmark of Zhao’s artistic practice, and his varied projects highlight the complex interactions between nature and human life. For almost a decade, he has been documenting various secondary forests in Singapore—forested areas that have grown over land previously deforested by human development—capturing phenomena rarely, if ever, seen before.
Secondary forests are the threshold between undisturbed primary forests and developed urban areas, and are often home to plant and animal species that have been introduced to Singapore since the 19th century. They also offer insight into the intricate web of coexistence between humans and nonhumans. Zhao’s accumulated observations of these areas are condensed into thought-provoking images and installations, revealing the layered timelines and stories within.
Seeing Forest is about a reciprocal gaze: how we see nature and how nature sees us. It invites us to explore the complexities of Singapore’s evolving landscape, showing how urban planning has shaped the natural world, and how nature, in turn, responds to it. Amidst the city’s concrete structures are vibrant ecosystems thriving beyond human control and regulation, nurturing life that resists categorisation or domination. The exhibition offers a glimpse into these deep, untamed rhythms of forest time, marching on in spaces often overlooked in the rush of city life.
General Admission (free for Singaporeans and PRs)
Image Credit: Robert Zhao Renhui, Buffy (2024). Courtesy of Robert Zhao Renhui.
About the organizer
Singapore Art Museum opened in 1996 as the first art museum in Singapore located in the cultural district of Singapore. Known as SAM, the museum presents contemporary art from a Southeast Asian perspective for artists, art lovers and the art curious in multiple venues across the island, including a new venue in the historic port area of Tanjong Pagar. The museum is building one of the world's most important public collections of Southeast Asian contemporary art, with the aim of connecting the art and the artists to the public and future generations through exhibitions and programmes. SAM is working towards a humane and sustainable future by committing to responsible practices within its processes.