“Letters From The Forest II” is a development of artist Donna Ong's abiding interest in landscapes and gardens, along with all their attendant symbolisms. Part of a body of work examining these motifs, which she developed during her recent residency at the Kunstelerhaus Bethanien in Berlin, “Letters” takes as its subject matter the tropical forest, and its multiple narratives of exploration and conquest, and how the legacy of these colonial expeditions have shaped our understanding today about the landscapes in our own lands.Anchoring this installation are two dioramas in wooden boxes, created by a technique (first explored by the artist in 2009) of layering acrylic sheets, each containing a composition of paper cut-outs of flora and fauna from William Farquhar's natural history drawings. These images were commissioned by Farquhar, the British Resident and Commandant of Melaka from 1803 to 1818, and an avid natural historian who sought to study and document the biodiversity of the tropics. The Chinese painters engaged by Farquhar to record the nature and wildlife of the region did so in images which combine traditional Chinese brush techniques with Western-style perspective and naturalism, resulting in a unique combination of art traditions and styles. Donna's appropriation, disassembling and refashioning of these images reflects her desire to 'speak back' to these colonial legacies and to create new narratives.
