Interdisciplinary Artist Robert Zhao and Curator Haeju Kim to Represent Singapore at the 60th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale Di Venezia

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

This marks the 11th year Singapore is participating in the most prestigious international art exhibition in the visual arts arena. 

Singapore Art Museum (SAM) is pleased to announce the appointment of Singaporean artist Robert Zhao Renhui and curator Haeju Kim as the artistic team for the Singapore Pavilion at the 60th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia (Biennale Arte 2024), which will run from 20 April to 24 November 2024. Recognising the museum’s expertise as a leading contemporary art institution in Southeast Asia, SAM has been commissioned by the National Arts Council (NAC) to organise the Singapore Pavilion for this edition.

The selection process for the artist for the 11th Singapore Pavilion involved a Commissioning

Panel composed of representatives from the arts community. The Panel assessed the course of the artist’s research, practice and experiences through their careers, and also conducted artist studio visits as part of the selection process. SAM will work closely with the appointed artistic team to offer holistic support as they develop the presentation, allowing for the artwork to evolve through a process of collaboration and exchange.

Robert Zhao Renhui (born 1983, Singapore) is an interdisciplinary artist who explores the complex andbco-mingled relationships between nature and culture.

Working in installation, photography, video and sculpture, Zhao is interested in the multifarious beings and objects that constitute the living world, and whose experiences and knowledge enrich our collective existence.

Zhao held solo exhibitions The Forest Institute (2022) at Gillman Barracks, Singapore and Monuments in the Forest at Shanghart Gallery (2023) in Shanghai.

His latest work is a performance installation titled Albizia (2023), commissioned by the Esplanade– Theatres on the Bay. He has also been featured in 10th Busan Biennale (2020), 6th Singapore Biennale (2019), 9th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (2018), 11th Taipei Biennale (2018), 17th Jakarta Biennale (2017), and 20th Biennale of Sydney (2016).

He received the prestigious National Arts Council Young Artist Award (2010), Singapore’s highest award for young arts practitioners aged 35 and below, He was also a finalist of the Hugo Boss Asia Art Award (2017).

Haeju Kim (born 1980, South Korea) is a Senior Curator at Singapore Art Museum (SAM), and her research focuses on contemporary art practices in Singapore, Southeast Asia and Asia. Her curatorial approach emphasises the consideration of the body, time and memory as key elements. Haeju’s interest in performance and her previous collaborations with performance artists and performing arts institutions have shaped her view of exhibition curating as the creation of a shared space for bodily and temporal experiences.

Prior to joining SAM, Kim was the Artistic Director of the Busan Biennale 2022. She was also the Deputy Director at Art Sonje Center, where she oversaw the exhibitions, programmes as well as the operation of the South Korean museum. She is currently pursuing research and curatorial work that is focused on diverse topics such as migration and language, questions of coexistence, ecological perspectives, and the interplay between locality and its planetary connection, among others.

Major exhibitions curated by Kim include We, on the Rising Wave at the Busan Biennale 2022, and solo exhibitions by Shitamichi Motoyuki (A ship went up that hill, 2022) and Manon de Boer (Down Time, 2022) at Kunsthal Aarhus, Denmark. She also curated Moving/Image, a three-chapter exhibition and performance programme that was presented at Seoul Art Space Mullae (2016), ARKO Art Center (2017) and Seoul Museum of Art (2020).

Eugene Tan, Co-Chair of the Commissioning Panel and Director of SAM, says, “The strength and trajectory of Robert Zhao’s artistic practice and research has convinced the Commissioning Panel of his ability to present a thought-provoking presentation that speaks to contemporary global issues. We are heartened that Haeju Kim, a Senior Curator at SAM, has been approached by Zhao to support his endeavour in Venice. Given Kim’s extensive experience and expertise across disciplines and large-scale platforms, as well as the shared research synergies between Zhao and Kim, this holds potential for exploring possibilities of mutual co-existence, multi-species flourishing and more connected ways of being. As SAM continues to present resonant works that push artistic boundaries, the artistic team’s pursuit of challenging exhibitionary norms puts them in good stead to best represent Singapore at the Biennale Arte 2024. These are considerations that informed our appointment of the artistic team, and we hope that the upcoming presentation will inspire deeper reflections within the arts community and beyond.”

Low Eng Teong, Co-Chair of the Commissioning Panel and Chief Executive Officer of the NAC,adds, “This is Singapore’s 11th presentation at the Biennale Arte. We are excited for this opportunity to present art that reflects our times, sparks conversations, and positions us on this international platform. As NAC continues to propel generations of artists on the international stage, we are excited to be working with SAM to champion our artistic talents and provide them with a platform to present and engage with international audiences. NAC looks forward to further establishing Singapore as a key arts and culture node for artistic practices, as we bring forth inclusivity, vibrancy and opportunities in the arts.”

Robert Zhao Renhui is an interdisciplinary Singaporean artist who has exhibited globally in international biennales and institutions around the world and won accolades for his artistic practice. Zhao was featured in the 10th Busan Biennale (2020), 6th Singapore Biennale (2019), 9th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (2018), 11th Taipei Biennale (2018), 17th Jakarta Biennale (2017), and 20th Biennale of Sydney (2016). Most recently, he was invited to participate in the 14th Gwangju Biennale (2023), and held a solo exhibition at the ShanghART Shanghai in March 2023.

In his practice, Zhao explores the complex relationships between nature and culture. Working inbinstallation, photography, video and sculpture, Zhao takes an interdisciplinary approach to constructing layered narratives of the natural world, with an interest in uncovering the experiences of the multifarious beings and objects that constitute the living world and enrich our collective existence. Over the past seven years, he has rooted the pressing global topic of the Anthropocene to our Singaporean environment, through the exploration of secondary forests and their potential as key sites of regeneration and regrowth. Zhao has presented different expressions of his research on secondary forests, most recently The Forest Institute (2022), a large-scale architectural art installation at Gillman Barracks, Singapore; Untimely Meditations (2022), a body of work that suggests alternative ways to look at history and nature through artefacts of the past and present; and an upcoming performance installation titled Albizia (2023), commissioned by the Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay. Providing a vision for life and regeneration for a more ecologically minded future, Zhao’s presentation for the Singapore Pavilion will feature an immersive, interdisciplinary installation that builds on the complex and rich multiplicity of his ecological research through art.

Haeju Kim is a Senior Curator at SAM who focuses on contemporary art practices in Singapore, Southeast Asia and Asia. Previously the Deputy Director at Art Sonje Center, Kim holds deep experience in curating numerous contemporary art exhibitions and performance programmes across various disciplines. Her curatorial approach emphasises the consideration of the body, time and memory as key elements, while also engaging with topics including ecological perspectives, locality and its planetary connection, and questions of coexistence through her research.

She was most recently the Artistic Director for Busan Biennale 2022, which received much commendation for its intimate understanding and reflection of the city’s local histories. Other exhibitions curated by Kim include two solo exhibitions by Shitamichi Motoyuki (A ship went up that hill, 2022) and Manon de Boer (Down Time, 2022) at Kunsthal Aarhus, Denmark, as well as Moving/Image, a three-chapter exhibition and performance programme that was presented at Seoul Art Space Mullae (2016), ARKO Art Center (2017) and Seoul Museum of Art (2020).

The Biennale Arte 2024, named “Foreigners Everywhere”, is curated by Adriano Pedrosa. Since 2015, the Singapore Pavilion has been located within the Arsenale and has featured artists such as Shubigi Rao (2022), Song-Ming Ang (2019), Zai Kuning (2017) and Charles Lim (2015). In 2009, Ming Wong’s representation of Singapore received a Special Mention at the 53rd Biennale Arte.

Further details on the curatorial concept behind the Singapore Pavilion will be revealed in due course. Follow the latest updates via Facebook and Instagram (@singaporeartmuseum), or visit

bit.ly/SingaporePavilion-VB2024.

About the Singapore Pavilion in Venice

The Singapore Pavilion is a 250 sqm space in a complex of buildings called the Sale d’Armi, which is centrally located and easily accessible within the Arsenale, a key site in Venice. The Sale d’Armi complex is a cluster of four 16th century barracks built with brick and stone, each with a wooden roof. It lies opposite the intersection between the long Corderie and Artiglierie buildings, where the main central square of the Arsenale is situated.

About the Singapore Art Museum

Singapore Art Museum opened in 1996 as the first art museum in Singapore located in the cultural district of Singapore. Known as SAM, the museum presents contemporary art from a Southeast Asian perspective for artists, art lovers and the art curious in multiple venues across the island, including a new venue in the historic port area of Tanjong Pagar.

The museum is building one of the world's most important public collections of Southeast Asian contemporary art, with the aim of connecting the art and the artists to the public and future generations through exhibitions and programmes. SAM is working towards a humane and sustainable future by committing to responsible practices within its processes.

To find out more, visit www.singaporeartmuseum.sg

About National Arts Council, Singapore

The National Arts Council champions the arts in Singapore. By nurturing creative excellence and supporting broad audience engagement, our diverse and distinctive arts inspire our people, connect communities and profile Singapore internationally. We preserve our rich, cultural traditions as we cultivate accomplished artists and vibrant companies for the future. Our support for the arts is comprehensive – from grants and partnerships to industry facilitation and arts housing. The Council welcomes greater private and corporate giving to and through the arts so that together we can make the arts an integral part of everyone’s lives. For more information on the Council’s mission and plans, please visit www.nac.gov.sg.

Annex B: The Commissioning Panel

Co-Chairs

● Mr Low Eng Teong, Chief Executive Officer, National Arts Council, Singapore

● Mr Eugene Tan, Director, Singapore Art Museum

Members

● Ms Mae Anderson, Chairperson, Art Outreach Singapore

● Mr Patrick Flores, Deputy Director, Curatorial and Exhibitions, National Gallery Singapore

● Ms Honor Harger, Vice President, ArtScience Museum and Attractions, Marina Bay Sands

● Mr Ho Tzu Nyen, Artist (Represented Singapore at the 54th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia in 2011)

● Mr Low Sze Wee, Chief Executive Officer, Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre

● Mr David Teh, Associate Professor, National University of Singapore

Images courtesy of Robert Zhao.

Consumers see red on power grid’s red and yellow alert

Wazzup Pilipinas!?




The Department of Energy (DOE) issued a statement on April 01, 2024 stating that there will be enough supply of power during the dry months. However, just this week, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) placed the Luzon power grid under yellow and red alert level due to 19 Luzon power plants on forced outage and three operating on derated capacities.

Reacting to this development, Bas Umali, National Coordinator of energy consumer group Kuryente.org, said:

“The Department of Energy, being one of the managers of the energy sector, should do their work diligently. The Department’s previous pronouncement left the public unprepared for power outages that threaten our livelihood, our households as well as the well-being and health of our families and communities. What assurance can the DoE provide the suffering public that we will not experience extended power outages, especially in this heat that reaches 48 degrees Celsius in some areas?

“We as consumers need a venue and mechanism that would allow meaningful participation of different players within the energy sector. This venue will ensure that all stakeholders are properly represented to air their concerns and opinion related technical and non-technical matters, finding solutions through a collective and inclusive lens. We cannot allow that every year, we are unprepared for situations that we know will occur regularly.

“In the era of climate crisis, we are now living in a reality of extremes - extreme heat and extreme typhoons. We need the government and the entire energy sector to get its act together and deliver quality energy service that we, the consumers, pay for with our hard earned money.”

Kuryente.org is an energy consumer welfare group.

PILIpinas: Filipino-made aviation seal promises greener skies

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

In the aviation industry where passengers’ safety is a top priority, a Filipino innovator promises to bring greener and safer skies through a sustainable and hybrid aircraft sealant from the waste resin of the Philippines’ Pili Tree. Meet Engineer Mark Kennedy Bantugon, a son of a farmer and a public school teacher, who takes flight by transforming nature’s bounty to groundbreaking and sustainable inventions. 

From farm to flight

Hailing from the agricultural heartland of Batangas, Filipino aeronautical engineer and material scientist Mark Kennedy Bantugon grew up with ‘dirt on his hands’ and ‘basking in the sunlight.’

He found inspiration in the waste materials of the various plants and trees that he was exposed to as a child. 

“I enjoy my childhood years basking in the sunlight on a farm, tilling the fields, engaging with different animals, and immersing myself in nature. I have been exposed to various plants and trees and have learned about their waste materials,” he narrated. 

As he gained experience in the agricultural industry, Bantugon was also introduced to extractive-producing plants in his community.

One of which is the Pili Tree, a popular indigenous tree in the Philippines that offers various benefits in industries like food and perfume. For instance, Pili nuts are sought-after delicacies due to their flavor and health benefits. The essential oils of the Tree, meanwhile, are used as fragrant components in popular perfume brands like Gucci and Chanel. 

The birth of the Pili Seal 

But Engineer Bantugon believes that Pili’s benefits can go beyond these sectors. 

Its tree produces raw resin or categorized as an oleoresin, comprising essential oils and waste or spent resin. In the perfume industry, a process called Hydrodistillation separates these two components of the raw Pili Tree resin to extract the essential oil that can be used as a fragrant component. However, in most cases, the waste or spent resin is often considered as a discarded material. 

Approximately 77.70 million kilograms of Pili Tree waste resins are produced annually in the Philippines as a result of the separation process. But for Engineer Bantugon, an advocate for Circular Economy, materials which we may perceive as wastes can become extraordinary innovations.

He found that the waste resin still exhibits sticky and fragrant characteristics that are suitable in producing a sustainable sealant and adhesive, “As I tried to assess and study this waste resin, I found out that it can still provide a sticky characteristic with a fragrant odor. With that, it led me to come up with the idea of using this particular waste material as a source of ingredient for the sealant formulation since one of the important properties of a sealing and adhesive material is its stickiness to be able to fill the gaps and join two surface materials.” 

Sealing safety and greener skies 

More than the premise of using discarded materials as the main ingredient for his innovation, Engineer Bantugon also puts premium on ensuring the Pili Seal’s cost-effectiveness, quality, and safety both for the consumers and their environment. 

The innovation tackles and addresses the challenges and drawbacks of using commercial sealants and adhesives, such as properties and performance issues, worker health, price, and environmental effects. Furthemore, as a ‘Green Initiative Solution’, it draws its foundation from four core pillars or 4Ps – Environmental (Planet); Health (Protection); Social (People); and Economic (Profit). 

Compared with chemical-based sealants which emit an unpleasant and toxic odor, the product, which underwent a comprehensive toxicity test, ensures a safe and non-toxic environment for its users. It is also a response to the risks of disposing chemical-based products which could contaminate the environment. 

Aside from these, the Pili Seal stands out with its 2-in-1 functionality. It offers a balance of elasticity as a sealant and strength as an adhesive, establishing flexible benefits not only for the aviation industry but also for various end-user sectors like construction, building, and roof applications.

The Philippines currently has no local manufacturing company for aviation sealants, relying solely on imports from other countries or regions. Engineer Bantugon hopes that his innovation may become a catalyst for establishing a local aviation sealant manufacturing company in the country, as well as in strengthening the local aviation industry. Soaring high in the Geneva Invention Exposition

The Pili Seal serves as a testament not only to the rich bounty that the Philippines’ natural resources has to offer, but also to the extraordinary and promising innovations that Filipino experts could bring into the global stage. 

Engineer Bantugon explains the brief etymology behind his product invention’s name. He cited that the choice of ‘PILI seal’ is deeply rooted in the Filipino translation of the word Philippines, Pilipinas, where the word PILI serves as the initial root.

 “Consequently, the nomenclature PILI Seal symbolizes not only its indigenous sourcing but also its intrinsic connection to our nation (PILIpinas), underscoring its creation by a PILIpino Inventor,” he quoted. 

True to his advocacy and aim, Engineer Bantugon showcased Filipino excellence as his Pili Seal was consistently recognized as an outstanding invention in multiple events, award-giving bodies, and competitions both in the local and international scene. It also achieved a historic milestone as it became the fastest granted patent.

This includes the James Dyson Award in 2021, Swiss Innovation Prize Competition 2023, and the OCBC Global Sustainability Innovation Challenge 2023. It was also recognized as ‘Innovation Champion’ in the 2023 Culminating Event of DOST-TAPI’s Approved Invention, Innovation, and Technopreneurship Proposals. 

The Pili Seal will also be among the Filipino innovations which will be given center stage at the 49th International Exhibition of Inventions in Geneva, Switzerland. 

He views this as an opportunity to establish collaboration with organizations or companies, to secure funding or investment, and to acquire mentorship. Furthermore, he also aims to bring the whole Philippines and farming community with him, as he believes that the event also serves as a platform for showcasing the vital role of local farmers in the fields of invention, innovation, and research. 

Taking flight with DOST

As he soars greater heights in the international exhibition, Engineer Bantugon also states his utmost gratitude to DOST and DOST-TAPI for its continuous support and assistance in showcasing his invention. 

“As one of the Philippine delegates in this upcoming International Exhibition of Inventions in Geneva, personally, I am deeply appreciative of the opportunity provided by DOST and DOSTTAPI. This global opportunity will allow me to not only showcase my innovativeness as an Inventor and represent my country but also to highlight a groundbreaking invention stemming from my humble beginning as the son of a local farmer in the Philippines,” Engineer Bantugon said.

The Pili Seal is funded by the DOST-TAPI through its Grants and Assistance to Leverage Innovations for National Growth (GALING) program, which provides grants to inventors to help them with prototype development and product validation.

It is also one of the National Invention Contest and Exhibits (NICE) winners, wherein it was entitled to a travel assistance that will help it participate in international fairs and exhibitions, invention contests and expositions, pitching events, and other similar activities which may help in its promotion.

Sealing a promising future

Engineer Bantugon embarks in an endless pursuit for the improvement of his PIli Seal innovation. He seeks to introduce it not only to the field of aviation but also to other transportation industries and sectors including the automotive, marine, packaging, industrial assembly, electrical and electronic fields.

Recalling his farming roots, he hopes to seal a promising future not only for his innovation but also to local farmers in the Philippines. He aspires to empower the sector by offering them new streams of income and opportunities, citing more than 13,000 pili farmers and producers in the Bicol region who can benefit from the initiative.

“Allow your life to be an instrument of blessing not only to other people, but also to the community, nation and environment. It is similar to education and knowledge- something to be shared so that many people can be blessed, as you become a vessel of blessing to them,” he stressed.

The Pili Seal serves as a testament that development and sustainability could meet and even soar to greater heights. As it takes flight to the global stage, the Filipino innovation proves that what we may consider as ‘waste’ or discarded materials, could become trailblazers that would seal a promising future and greener skies for the generations to come. 

** This feature is a part of the "Shape the Future" campaign, highlighting nine Philippine inventions featured in the 49th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva (IEIG) on April 17-21, 2023. Competing for gold awards, these innovations also aim to promote local technologies for potential international technology transfer and commercialization.

By Shane Rachel del Rosario

Photos Courtesy: James Dyson Award 2021