Bowls of Fragility - How to Protect the Corals
Coral Art - Inspiration
Have you noticed my fascination with corals?
It all started in 2018. I was invited by my friend, Kah Hwee, to go on a trip to Pulau Merambong, a small island just off the coast of Malaysia and Singapore. Sandwiched between two countries in the middle of the Straits of Johor, this tiny place is home to the sea cow, or dugong.
The trip by car and then boat took less than 2.5 hours and we were introduced to the amazing people at Kelabalami , a social enterprise initiated by Serina Rahman and Shalan Jum'at. The local fishing village youth are trained as habitat experts to work as ecotourism guides and to scientifically monitor seagrass and mangrove habitats. Although we didn’t see any sea cows, we were very privileged to be shown the other wonders that were revealed during low tide - sea grass, mud skippers, sponges and even sea grapes. At the time, Serina explained to us how the silt from construction activity in nearby Malaysia was threatening the balance in the ecosystem. I hope you can see from the pictures how beautiful the place is, and I hope to go back soon.
Did you know that the world has lost half its coral reefs in the past 30 years?
The other triggering point was watching the documentary film, Chasing Coral, at the Singapore Eco Film Festival. I remember watching the part where the scientists came back with the results of their monitoring, confirming theories that changes in ocean temperatures and the increasing acidity were slowly eating away at the coral reef ecosystems. While we are tempted to let things slide and allow these ecosystems to be eroded, the health of our planet depends on these underwater 'rain forests': Coral reefs actually support a quarter of all marine species and half a billion people worldwide - with humans being at the top of the food chain, it’s important to realise that we have to take steps to minimise our impact on them. To me it all boils down to reducing our consumption, and changing our behaviour for the better.
Has anything triggered you to create certain pieces of work be it writing, art, or even music?
Creating Bowls of Fragility
Through all these experiences, I created an installation depicting the pressures the corals are facing and examining our relationship with them. Some of you may have seen version one of my coral art pieces, Bowls of Fragility in 2019, when it was exhibited at Far East Plaza. This year, I was invited by curator/weaver, Natalia Tan, to showcase them at #artsencounters by Arts Outreach Singapore. Given this opportunity, I expanded on the range of existing pieces, exploring the coral reefs’ fragility.
This time I combined free motion embroidery, hand embroidery and shibori. The original pieces were felted and embroidered.
What Can We Do?
Minimise Consumption
There are many ways in which we can lessen the negative impact on corals. The big one is taking a look at the way we consume - always ask if you really need it, or if there are other ways of achieving the same thing. For example, taking public transport instead of a private vehicle. If we can change our consumption behaviours, we can ultimately lower the levels of greenhouse gases that contribute to ocean acidification and warming ocean temperatures.
Visiting the Beach? If you love swimming in the ocean or rivers, remember to wear reef-friendly sunscreen. The scientific research behind what this means is growing, so don't forget to read the labels, and read up before making a purchase. If you're not sure, why not wear a rash guard, or even long sleeve tee!
Going Snorkling or Diving? Remember, to only look and don’t touch the corals. And if you’re looking for a place to drop the anchor, look for a sandy bottom.
Got Rubbish? Dispose of your rubbish properly and keep it out of the ocean. Marine trash can damage coral reefs and marine animals. We may have a great waste management system in Singapore, but don’t forget to pop your litter in the bin, including cigarette butts.
Love to Farm? Don't send chemicals into the waterways.
Enjoy volunteering? Volunteer for coral reef cleanup in Singapore. You can join Our Singapore Reefs in regular clean up dives in our waters, or organise your own clean up along the beach with your family and friends.
Want to plant some coral? Participate in the habitat enhancement efforts of the Sisters’ Islands Marine Park
Did you know Singapore’s waters are home to:
More than 250 species of hard corals (32% of hard coral species found worldwide)
More than 100 species of reef fish
About 200 species of sponges
12 seagrass species
