SEA STATE 9: PROCLAMATION (DRAG, DROP, POUR)

Charles Lim’s research reveals the various methods by which the physical territory of Singapore has been enlarged by more than 25% through reclamation since its independence in 1965.

In SEA STATE 9: Proclamation (Drag), (Drop), (Pour), Lim presents (a) a barge that drags large quantities of sand across the straits of Singapore and Johor and releases its cargo through a specially-made hull that splits open; (b) aerial views of several earth-moving machines that drop large scoops of sand onto the waters beneath; and (c) a sand hopper pouring a continuous stream of sand into a frothy sea. Filmed using drone technology, Lim’s video works make visible the awe-inspiring machinations of the nationalist agenda that can even force nature to conform to human will. Lim reminds us that creating these sand piles is not enough to make them part of Singapore’s terra firma; until the President of the republic proclaims these lands as such, they remain hidden from the public's consciousness.  The sharp, high-resolution industrial images -- which switch from closely cropped shots to wide vistas that show the massive scale of the operation -- serve to underscore the immense political, economic, and technological resources a developed country can draw upon to implement such projects.