Photography: Jonathan Lum
Garden City and its Fruits
2020
White Stoneware, Underglaze
32 x 12 x 35 cm
This work is inspired by the phrase ‘low-hanging fruit’, which means the most easily achieved of a set of tasks, measures, goals. The underglaze painted tree is the iconic Tembusu tree located in Singapore botanic gardens. It is also found on Singapore’s $5 notes, and beneath the tree on the notes, ‘Garden City’ is written.
Its quirky perpendicular branch to me, ironically represents a helping hand from the native Tree to provide more low-hanging fruits. The uncanny red ground could represent unnecessary life sacrifices for the inclination towards low-hanging fruits or simply an exaggeration of the red berries fallen to the ground. Unpicked berries, somewhat like unachieved task, and Garden City, somehow does not fit the what I have depicted. Layers of ironies, bitterness, like the bitterness of the red berries.
Shayne Phua 