Equilibria: Where Memory Holds
By Lush Tan and William Sim
This sculpture reflects the delicate interplay between natural and cultural heritage in Singapore. Perched at the edge of a woodblock, a crab balances a stack of pebbles, upon which the iconic People’s Park Complex and a Tanglin Halt residential block stand. Tanglin Halt is one of Singapore’s oldest housing estates, built by the Singapore Improvement Trust, and holds deep cultural significance. People’s Park Complex, meanwhile, is a Brutalist landmark celebrated for its innovative design that challenged traditional zoning by integrating public and private spaces. At the time of this sculpture’s creation, the complex was under study for conservation due to its heritage value. As Singapore marks SG60 this year, we are reminded that this milestone follows six decades of transformation shaped by both urban development and environmental change, and it is our hope that more of our architectural icons will be conserved.
The crab, a creature of the shoreline, was chosen as a reference to Singapore’s own vulnerability as an island facing the risks of rising sea levels. Beyond this, it also stands as a symbol of resilience and adaptation. Its form recalls the phenomenon of carcinisation, where diverse species independently evolve into crab-like shapes, embodying nature’s capacity to persist, reconfigure, and thrive under pressure. At the sculpture’s base, a small plant emerges from the crevice of the woodblock, a quiet reminder of how life persists in even the most unyielding spaces. Together, these elements suggest a quiet optimism that both our built legacies and natural environments might continue to coexist in a fragile yet enduring equilibrium.
Equilibria: Where Memory Holds
31 × 16 × 16 cm
Acrylic pigment on resin, watercolour on acid-free paper.
