Podcasts and proclamation:
Other sounds and visuals from SEA STATE 9: proclamation garden

As a conceptual extension of his Ng Teng Fong Roof Garden Commission SEA STATE 9: proclamation garden, Singapore artist Charles Lim Yi Yong creates a series of podcasts to present alternative viewpoints, stories and soundscapes in the history of land reclamation in Singapore.

Presented alongside a selection of images and videos here, these podcasts feature the voices of various specialists in the fields of botany, geography, constitutional and legal history, and land reclamation, such as Veera Sekaran (Founder of Greenology Pte Ltd), Boo Chih Min (Founder of Uvaria Tide), Chou Loke Ming (Adjunct Research Professor, Tropical Marine Science Institute, National University of Singapore), Kevin YL Tan (Adjunct Professor of Law, National University of Singapore), Lim Soo Kim (Engineer and former Deputy Director at Housing Development Board) and Joe Moreira (a commercial explosives expert).

Chapter 1: Bombs and Sand

Ordnance specialist Joe Moreira introduces us to the potential dangers lurking in Singapore’s reclaimed areas

Joe Moreira is a pioneer in the commercial Explosive Ordnance Disposal industry, carrying out underwater blasting works in Singapore, and has advised and managed the setting up of the National Skills Recognition System (NSRS) Security Training at local engineering company Evtec.

Chapter 2: The Grounding of the Sea 

An engineer and a scientist take us through the processes of land reclamation and the bioenvironmental impact thereafter. 

Lim Soo Kim is a Land Reclamation and Coastal Specialist. A trained engineer, he has worked for several decades at the Housing Development Board (HDB) on major reclamation projects in Singapore before venturing into consultancy. 

Dr Chou Loke Ming is a scientist and renowned coral expert at the Tropical Marine Science Institute in Singapore. His interests are coral reef biology, coastal management and conservation, especially in Southeast Asia. 

Chapter 3: State Magic Ritual

A renowned legal scholar dives into the legislative histories of Singapore's land reclamation projects.

Prof. Kevin YL Tan holds Adjunct Professorships at the Faculty of Law, National University of Singapore (NUS) as well as at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University (NTU) where he teaches constitutional law, international law and international human rights. He has published widely in his areas of specialisation and has written and edited over 40 books on the law, history and politics of Singapore. 

Chapter 4: Proclamation Garden 

Two botanists discuss the fascinating plant life that lie at the reclaimed margins of Singapore and how they feature now at the Gallery's Roof Garden Gallery. 

Veera Sekaran is Managing Director of Greenology, a company in Singapore dedicated to urban greening. He graduated from NUS with a BSc Degree in Botany and had worked at the Mandai Orchid Garden, the Singapore Zoological Gardens, the Night Safari, and NParks, including several overseas stints, before setting up his own company. 

Boo Chih Min is a passionate plant lover, researcher and educator with keen interest in native and exotic plants of Sinagpore and Southeast Asia. She studied botany at NUS and previously worked at NParks before setting up Uvaria Tide, a consultancy that focuses on sustainable and ecologically-oriented projects. She is also the lead author of two books: 1001 Garden Plants of Singapore and Plants in Tropical Cities.