ROBERT ZHAO RENHUI 赵仁辉, The Lines We Draw I (From New Zealand), 2019, Archival inkjet print, mounted on aluminium, 100 x 150 cm
The Lines We Draw is a solo exhibition with new works by Robert Zhao Renhui. Bringing together recent work spanning photography, video and installation, this exhibition explores migration and extinction in the natural world. Drawing from narratives from China, Taiwan and Singapore, Zhao’s work spotlights situations of ecological interest: from the migrations of godwits and great knots over the skies of the Yalu River estuary to the eradication measures against invasive spotted tree frogs in Taipei.
In humankind’s pursuit for objectivity and order, whether within the field of science or politics, they have drawn lines across landscapes, communities, and disciplines. Zhao’s practice scrutinises the scientific method by infusing it with the aesthetic sensitivity and poetics of his images. In light of the ongoing Anthropocene extinction, the beauty in Zhao’s works is fraught with tension and complexities; beneath the familiarity of animals and cabinets of curiosities lies the negotiation between humankind’s understandings of existence and the latter’s perpetual changeability. Zhao problematises the safety of anthropocentric knowledge through representations of the other; reflecting on the lines and logics demonstrated by beings other than ourselves.
Opening reception: 15 January 2020, 6 – 8pm
Venue: ShanghART Singapore, 9 Lock Road, Gillman Barracks
Hours: Open by appointment only.
When: 15 Jan - 15 Apr 2020, 11am - 7pm Wednesday to Sunday
