Arguably one of the more impactful exhibitions staging this year, Robert Zhao’s Seeing Forest advocates for the voiceless and reveals the resilience of Singapore’s secondary forests, and sheds light on the delicate balance between human’s impact and the natural world around us
Humanity knows the dire consequences of its actions. We haven’t stopped talking about it for a long time now, even admitting how our actions cause detriment to the world around us. Polluting oceans and harming sea life; releasing unspeakable amounts of greenhouse gases through burning fossil fuels; tearing down acres of forested land, destroying the habitats of countless species.
If we’re so aware of the consequences, why do these actions persist?
A paradox as old as civilisation itself, progress often comes at the cost of the natural world. And yet, amid the imbalance, the miracle that is nature manages to find ways to adapt, resist, and reclaim life–with no help from humans.
Enter Seeing Forest, a homecoming exhibition presented by Robert Zhao Renhui at the Singapore Art Museum (SAM). Following its debut at the 60th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia last year, Seeing Forest urges visitors to confront and reflect on their relationship with the environment around us. The exhibition concept extends beyond mere observation or recognition of Singapore’s secondary forests (forests that are ‘regrowing’ from lands previously deforested by humans); Zhao’s creations encompass year after year of exploring and researching, shedding light on a rarely seen side of nature. One that thrives quietly, defiantly, against all odds.
Through Zhao’s lens, which portray both introduced and native species coexisting in harmony with the secondary forests, one can’t help but wonder: how do we really see nature? And how does the nature see us? And, most important of all, will there be a better future for this fragile relationship?
What to expect
The showcase has officially opened its doors yesterday at SAM’s Tanjong Pagar Distripark quarters; from now till 18 May 2025, get ready to experience a multifaceted exploration of our city’s ever-evolving natural landscape. More than just looking at bushes, trees, or shrubs, you’ll find thought-provoking, immersive works; Trash Stratum (2024) is one such installation, akin to a cabinet of curiosities filled with unclaimed footage, abandoned belongings, and archival photographs to name a few.
The Owl, The Travellers and The Cement Drain (2024) is another evocative video installation, juxtaposing soothing forest scenes with traces of the human impact. Watch as migratory birds come to rest on green bins that we’re familiar with, and be mesmerised by how there’s life teeming beneath a long-forgotten drain, unbeknownst to us as we go about daily life.
Coinciding with Singapore Art Week 2025, Seeing Forest (and all other exhibitions and programmes at the SAM) is offering free admission and extended museum hours to one and all between 17 to 26 January. If this isn’t the perfect opportunity to experience a world-acclaimed exhibition, we don’t know what is. Singaporeans and Permanent Residents may still enjoy complimentary access to SAM exhibitions after SAW 2025 wraps up.
A future of hope and harmony
In an ideal world for us, survival of humankind and that of the natural world isn’t a matter of either/or. Is a world where cities and forests coexisting out of reach? Can human activity uplift, and not erase, nature? Seeing Forest will offer you a glimpse into this possibility, urge us to dream bigger and act better, and show us that the forest isn’t just watching–it’s teaching us how to survive against all odds.
