I want to be a plant - Chapter 2
18 to 20 April 2025
ABOUT
I WANT TO BE A PLANT is an ongoing investigation that explores longing and acceptance in Singapore through the nation state’s policies, often using nature and plants as a metaphor. In its previous iteration - Chapter 1 - focused on longing to become a bougainvillea. The flower is widely known as Singapore’s unofficial flower and was used as an object of desire to the state since it’s introduction of the 1980s greening policies.
Chapter 2 centers around the theme of tension and longing of acceptance. It focuses on National Service, where the camouflage print is used to literally allow soldiers to blend into the forest. The period of National Service is a cultural milestone for when ‘boys become men’, it becomes a marker of national identity that has also become a yardstick for masculinity. However, in its standardisation comes a tension between performing and true acceptance.
During the residency, the participants will develop a video installation shot in black and white that brings together sound, movements and cinematography. It hopes to explore this textured quality of longing and duty through this residency.
Public Events
18 – 20 APRIL
Open Studio
18 April, Friday, 12 to 6pm
19 April, Saturday, 12 to 6pm
20 April, Sunday, 12 to 6pm
Artist Talk
19 April, Saturday, 3.30pm
Visit here to register
The Artists
Daniel Chong is an artist-curator that works between the quiet slippages of function and sentimentality. His practice attempts to respond to contemporary socio-personal experiences through subtlety and absurdity. His works seem irreverent and casual but in it lies a tension of longing and humour.
Gino Flordeliza Babagay is an accomplished dancer and choreographer in Singapore’s theatre and dance industry. He choregraphs across various genres, adapting to every client’s vision while also prioritising good vibes. His major contributions include Cabaret (2023), Dimsum Dollies: Sixty Sexy Years (2024), Kumar Uncut (2024), and Coldplay’s concert opening act by Rriley.
Ryan Ang is a freelance actor and musical theatre performer who was formerly part of the SAF Music and Drama Company. He is also a professional dancer and choreographer. He has recently been exploring Directing as well, recently completing Sightlines Productions Directing Training under Chong Tze Chien. He graduated from Wild Rice’s Young & Wild acting programme in 2020.
Suhui Hee/Anise is a queer transdisciplinary performance artist, vocalist and composer working across sound, movement and experimental scoring. Her music is a cinematic blend of glitchy beats, shimmering vocals, field recording, and chamber music. Her current research, Ill Behaviour, is an experimental performance that listens in on the (ill) body.
Marcia Ong is a Singapore-based director of photography with over two decades of experience in the film industry, the last ten of which have been dedicated to cinematography. While primarily working in narrative film, Marcia also lends her eye to documentary projects. Her work is deeply influenced by the evocative and nuanced styles of directors Todd Haynes, Gus Van Sant, and Tsai Ming Liang, reflecting a keen interest in creating emotionally resonant atmospheres through cinematography.
The Space
136 GOETHE LAB is a new project space at the Goethe-Institut Singapore. Housed in the former library and reading room, the space is intended as a response to the need for physical spaces for the arts, and an ongoing conversation with the public and arts community in Singapore.
I WANT TO BE A PLANT is supported as part of the open call for 136 GOETHE LAB, which invited applicants to activate the space with a group proposal.