Tan frames the installation as a passage through time and different worlds, where visitors travel from the present into the past in a sensory-filled “expedition”. The journey begins in a narrow, dark passageway lined with dried coconut leaves. Just as the eyes adjust to the dimness, a doorway reveals a glimpse of the past, as natural light pours into the gallery.
Titled “A sojourn through the stars and seas”, Tan’s installation also reflects his broader practice of infusing traditional Chinese ink washes with abstract interpretation. Born in Malaysia and educated in the United Kingdom, where he earned his Master’s in Fine Arts from the Birmingham City University, he draws on both memory and imagination to challenge conventional narratives with fresh perspectives.
Tan integrates visual, auditory and sensory effects to heighten the illusion, inviting visitors to stand in specific spots to experience contrasts and shifting views. Pumped water with small fish mimic seawater, beach sand underfoot, drifting fog, dramatic lighting, piped-in music and even an air circulator stirring the gallery such as sea winds all contribute to the immersive illusion. Tan explained these elements were carefully orchestrated to transport viewers back into the ancient world.
Another narrative features a depiction of Wan Hu, the legendary Chinese figure said to have strapped himself to gunpowder rockets in an attempt to soar to the heavens in the 16th century, while another portrays a flying contraption. Tan describes Wan Hu as the first “astronaut” who actually flew a short distance with gunpowder rockets.
According to legend, Wan Hu died as a result of this misadventure.
Tan himself became part of the installation, blending himself into the narrative as a living participant by wearing a scarf around his head, suggesting the appearance of a shipmate.
“He has the world map... a copy of Zheng He’s map. It’s in the 1434 book,” Tan said, supporting Menzies’s suggestion that this world map may have influenced Columbus in navigating to the Americas as an indication that knowledge of these routes predated European exploration.
“There are records that the Song and even the Han were already trading in this part of the world. So, if they were trading, they must have been here,” he said.
In the context of today’s migrations and cultural movement, it succeeds in bridging Eastern narratives with the Chinese diaspora through shared memory and heritage. Tan’s work offers a reflective pause in the ongoing conversation of intercultural exchange, compelling viewers to consider how history is told, whose voices dominate and what is forgotten.
A sojourn through the stars and seas is on display at The Courtyard Beach Street 1786 until Sept 30.
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