Working with Concrete in Textile Art
Renewal’s Path: Moss Inspired Artwork
The Inspiration Behind My Work
You may remember the wearable moss rocks that I created in 2021. I was inspired by the wet weather of Singapore, and the resulting post-rain smells called “petrichor”, and the associated colours and textures! I wanted to take the textile art creations a bit further and combine it with concrete structures, especially the exploration between progress and modern structures, and the soft, fragile natural growth. My starting point began with reading Gathering Moss by Robin Wall Kimmerer. My friend had lent the book to me just before the pandemic, and it wasn’t until afterwards that I picked it up to read.
“Mosses succeed by inhabiting places that trees cannot, hard, impermeable substrates”
What is Moss to Me?
Moss are a “living testament to endurance and renewal, quietly thriving in the harshest conditions.”
Moss represents a bridge between the natural and the constructed world. What I found fascinating about Kimmerer’s book is that moss can undergo a process called anabiosis. During times when there is a lack of water, the moss can desiccate, shriveling up to 1/8 of its size. During this phase, their metabolic rate is reduced to near zero. blurring the boundaries between life and death. It is only when the rains begin, do the moss spring back into life and thrive.
Moss and Its Role in Life: Decay, Repair, Memories
When I read this, I saw how moss can be both a metaphor and a material, symbolizing the delicate balance between the past, memories, and renewal. Moss plays a vital role in the ecosystem, participating in processes of decay and repair. It covers fallen trees, broken stones, and even concrete, slowly transforming decay and neglect into new growth. This mirrors the way our memories can cover old wounds, allowing for healing and renewal. In my new work, moss becomes a visual and tactile representation of this cycle, reminding us of the beauty that can emerge from decay and the potential for new life in unexpected places.
Renewal’s Path
I was invited to respond to the theme, Let it Linger, where the curator, Kelly Janine, reflects on the significance of 195 Pearl’s Hill Terrace, it’s community, history and urban environment. Originally a police barracks in the post-war era, the building has grown into an independent creative hub that houses various start-up businesses and tattoo studios. However, the longevity of this space is uncertain given that its lease tentatively expires at the end of March 2026. With this looming deadline, 195PHT’s inhabitants are compelled to make the most out of the situation and operate with a sense of urgency.
When exploring the space (and also through my walks in old neighbourhoods), I noticed how once neglect and decay of modern structures happen, nature begins to take over. Moss inhabits these cold and hard surfaces, and can take anywhere from months to a year to cover entire structures. This natural process of moss acts as an eraser, gently covering the past, making us forget our actions and our wrongs. Over time, the moss will make the structures weaker and eventually disintegrate them, permanently obliterating them. On the other hand, moss is also a symbol of new life sprouting in unexpected places, giving us hope and renewal.
The small, pebble-like pieces are reminiscent of Hansel and Gretel's breadcrumb trail, reminding us that even in the face of urban transformation, we can still find our way back. As we stand on the cusp of change, the artwork asks: Will we hold onto these echoes, letting them guide us, or will we boldly forge new paths, always carrying a part of the past within us? Each pebble is a marker, a quiet whisper that we can return, renew, and rediscover, even as the world around us evolves.
Concrete and Textile: An Unlikely Partnership
Exploring the Materials
Combining concrete with textile creates a fascinating juxtaposition, and I have enjoyed using them when creating my coral fossils . Concrete, often associated with permanence and rigidity, contrasts with the flexibility and softness of textiles, and it allows for a unique and exciting exploration of themes like strength, fragility, and the passage of time.
I wanted to create small pebbles from concrete to depict the manmade structures of the former barracks, and then incorporate textiles into them to depict the moss-like growth. This process took quite a while as I wanted to cast my own pebbles and this also meant creating my own molds and working with a concrete mix formula that would also depict decay. Once I settled on this I was then able to move forward and create the final pieces.
An Invitation
I would like to invite you to the Let It Linger exhibition. My work, Renewal’s Path, symbolizes a way to navigate through transitions and changes, inviting viewers to reflect on their own journeys and the echoes of memories they carry with them.
With the lease for 195 Pearl’s Hill Terrace extended to March 2026, there is a question of what is to become of the building left hanging in the air. Contemplating the arts enclave’s place ahead of time might seem pre-emptive, but it allows us to consider its history and significance as former police barracks. Presented by Supper House, 'Let It Linger' is a group show curated by Kelly Janine that brings together six local artists who share an interest in how materials interact with social environments and the human body. The exhibition represents the artists’ site-specific responses to the question of what will be remembered about 195 Pearl’s Hill Terrace when urban transformation inevitably arrives. Will we sentimentally linger with nostalgia, look towards alternative futures, or come back later for what is left behind?
Join us for the exhibition opening on Thursday, 18 July 2024 from 5pm-7pm.
📅: 19-21 July and 26-28 July 2024
🕒: 2PM – 7PM
📍195 Pearl’s Hill Terrace, #02-45, Lucky Hall
Artists: Agatha Lee Crystal Lee Kansh Liz Zhu Natalia Tan Veronyka Lau
Special thanks: 195 Pearl’s Hill Terrace
Curated by: Kelly Janine
Supported by: Supper House Singapore
