Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Work in progress image from Seeing Forest Robert Zhao Renhui ’s exhibition “Seeing Forest”, on show at the 60th Venice Art Biennale until November 24, 2024, delves into the intricate ecosystems of secondary forests, challenging the viewer to reconsider their perceptions of nature. Through his evocative images and thoughtful presentation, Zhao highlights the tension between natural environments and human intervention, inviting audiences to reflect on the delicate balance of the natural world and the consequences of our actions. “Seeing Forest” continues Zhao’s exploration of the blurred boundaries between reality and fiction, urging a deeper understanding of the conflicting forces at play.
Can you provide an overview of your exhibition “Seeing Forest” currently on view at the 60th Venice Biennale and what inspired the creation of this body of work? My showcase in Venice is quite a minimalist presentation with three new works, which work together to create a sense of a mysterious, forested zone that exists in the imagination. The main work is a two-channel video that looks at an imaginary secondary forest space in Singapore, and documents all that is going on in there. You will see adventurous humans, migratory birds, abandoned tents of illegal migrants, fighting monitor lizards and more.
The space is free, radically hospitable and radically hostile. Most of the footage has been gathered from camera traps I pl.