Rattan Eco Sprawl: Manifesting the Forest nestles in the lush greenery of a quiet spot in the neighbourhood. Constructed primarily from rattan, its wavy forms weave in elements from the natural world including mountains and mounds where insects dwell. Such formations have also inspired sacred monuments like the Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Live plants encroach the work’s exterior while a glimpse into the interior, with its lowered ceilings and narrowed passageways, suggests care, not just for plants and species that inhabit it, but also for the mind. Witnessed here is the same jostle between natural and manmade elements in the area: tree roots pushing their way through concrete pavements, destabilising fences and bollards, etc., as if nature is attempting to reclaim its territory. 

Rattan Eco Sprawl reflects on this entanglement of nature and urban development against the backdrop of a fast-changing Singapore landscape. It serves as a vessel for sonic encounters, embracing both manmade noise and the serenades of nature.  

Through engagements with rattan and wood artisans, an ecologist, and nonhuman residents, Rattan Eco Sprawl acknowledges the fragile, intertwined relationship that we share with nature, driving a collaborative need to bring old and new knowledges together for a sustainable future.