The Natural History of an Island
Solo Exhibition DECK, Singapore

Artists: Robert ZHAO Renhui 赵仁辉

As part of the exhibition with Ang Song Nian, The Photograph as Atlas
The Photograph as Atlas looks at photography’s role as a mirror of history that can be both objective and subjective at the same time. It explores the navigation and creation of history through photographs, and how – as much as they serve as a record of history – photographs may also be manipulated and navigated in new ways, proving that they are not as faithful as they seem to be.
In The Natural History of an Island, artist Robert Zhao Renhui looks at the natural history of Singapore in a 100-year frame, based on his collection of images of Singapore’s natural landscape from the 1900s. Using a self-made mobile expedition vehicle, the artist explores and maps out ‘natural’ spaces in tress in Singapore, uncovering historical narratives along the way. Investigating Singapore’s relationship with its natural landscapes through the years, The Natural History of an Island examines the various ways in which the landscape has been altered based on needs and desires from nature.

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