Mynas

Robert Zhao Renhui’s interdisciplinary practice explores the complex relationship of humans and the natural world. In 2016, he spent a month photographing the great congregation of Javan Mynas that descend on the trees along Singapore's famous Orchard Road at dusk. Loud squawking announces the arrival of the birds each evening, drowning even the sounds of rush hour traffic along this busy thoroughfare. These congregations of Javan Mynas are not uncommon in Singapore, evolving from a species that was initially introduced as pets during colonial times into a dominant breed that now far outnumbers its indigenous relative, the common myna. This daily phenomenon along Singapore's famous commercial and tourist district demonstrates how humans and animals learn to co-exist in an increasingly urban environment.