It doesn’t care

Part of Singapore Biennale and co-curated by @hOt.house. IT DOESN’T CARE is the opening activation of PRIMAL INSTINCT.

“For this piece, I’ll be planting 49 Ficus Microcarpa — a species once labeled invasive under colonial Singapore and removed to make room for cash crops.

Finding them has been… a mission. We tried to source them from Indonesia — no luck. Since my Mechanisms of Belief and Chance research (supported by @kunststiftungnrw ) also extends to Thailand, we took the chance to search here. Honestly, a long shot.

Then we heard Chatuchak Market has a dedicated plants day. So — before our usual “3 temples per day”, we headed there. The place is huge, the odds tiny. We walked in, turned left, and asked the very first seller if he had them.

He said yes… but didn’t have them with him.

Through Google Translate negotiations — different travel schedules, unknown logistics — we somehow arranged delivery for when we’d return to Bangkok. I didn’t believe it would actually work.

I was wrong.

He arrived. On time. With the seedlings. With care instructions.

And the end of our conversation was when he said:

“Try it. I will be by your side.”

Thank you Patma’s Garden — you are great! And thank you chance, belief, and small miracles.”

Performer: Cristiana Negoescu, Tini Aliman

Links:

• Event Announcement Singapore Biennale website

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