Exhibition
Rediscovering Lost Connections:
Silvana S. Foundation Commission Award Exhibition, first edition
Rediscovering Lost Connections: Silvana S. Foundation Commission Award Exhibition, first edition is a joint presentation of the work of two artists, Robert Zhao Renhui and the late Silvana Sutanto. Zhao was the winner of the inaugural Silvana S Foundation Commission Award in 2020, organized by the foundation in collaboration with the Singapore International Photography Festival. The prize was themed around “Rediscovering Lost Connections”, and Zhao won for his proposed series, And A Great Sign Appeared, which looks at the effects of urbanization on the natural ecosystem, particularly avian colonies in Singapore. His work is presented alongside that of the late Silvana Sutanto. Here, Indonesian-born photographer Sutanto’s images of animal populations, anthropocenic landscapes and celestial phenomena, stand as representations of her lifelong commitment to her practice, and her chosen subject matter - the role of our natural environment. In juxtaposing the work of two artists deeply engaged with the ecological space that mankind inhabits, this exhibition celebrates the interconnectedness of humanity and its environment, and the future of both on the planet that we call home.
The proceeds from this exhibition will go towards the Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) Foundation.
Since its inception in 1991, The Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) Foundation has grown from an informal movement to a well-known conservation organisation that has consistently and tirelessly worked on the frontlines to make a difference for Asia’s only species of great ape. Over the years, a team of experts in orangutan welfare, health, management, and conservation has been protecting orangutans and their habitats by rescuing them from areas of human-wildlife conflict, providing sanctuary for rehabilitation, and reintroducing them in wild forests, as well as conserving tropical ecosystems. This has been made possible only by teaming up with local communities, like-minded NGOs, government agencies, and concerned businesses.
Today, the BOS Foundation takes care of about 450 of these incredible beings across their two rehabilitation centres, making it the largest orangutan welfare and conservation program in the world. However, this is also a heartbreaking reminder of the huge scale of the challenges faced today, from development and deforestation to hunting and the illegal pet trade, if the orangutan is to be saved from extinction.
Learn more at www.orangutan.or.id
In these modern times, the world is becoming more interconnected than ever before. However, our busy lives cause us to lose the connections we have with our surrounding environment, be it the people around us, the natural environment, and other forms of life. The pandemic has forced us to pause our busy lives and rediscover how we are all connected to each other in one way or another, and one action will affect the environment as well as other forms of life around us. Rediscover our lost connections through photography, making people aware of the environmental, wildlife and humanitarian issues that affect us and our future generations.
The Polar Bear series highlights the importance of how connected we are with animals and the environment. With the ocean’s rising temperatures caused by climate change, scientists estimate that 10,000 cubic metres of ice per second is lost. With the rapidly melting ice caps, the natural environment of polar bears and other arctic animals is in danger of disappearing, leading to destabilisation of the earth’s ecosystems, as well as rising sea levels.
Silvana also captures the beauty of our home planet at the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain range, the Northern Lights in Alaska, and the beauty of the humpback whale, all highlighting the importance of realising how our human actions affect all life on earth, and the need to maintain the planet’s ecosystems so all life can coexist peacefully for our future generations.
Zoom View Detail
Artists:
Robert Zhao Renhui
Silvana Sutanto
Organizers:
Silvana S. Foundation
Jada Art Gallery
Curatorial consultant:
Louis Ho