A Portuguese landscape in Asia
On October 9, “Sunflower Surprise: Garden by the Ocean” opened at Gardens by the Bay in Singapore. This exhibition, dedicated to Portuguese culture, landscape, and traditions, will remain open to the public through November 9, 2026. Marking 45 years of diplomatic relations between Portugal and Singapore, the initiative brought together nature, architecture, design, and contemporary art in a representation of Portuguese identity, showcasing different expressions of the country’s cultural and material heritage.
BROOT is part of Portugal's delegation
At the invitation of AICEP and the Portuguese Embassy in Singapore, BROOT participated in this exhibition with pieces from its two editions, *Dialogues From Within* and *Crafted by Dialogues*, displayed at various locations throughout the Flower Dome. Organized by ASSIMAGRA, with curation and production direction by Olivah, BROOT explores the relationships between Portuguese natural stone, other materials, and the traditional crafts that form part of the country’s cultural heritage. In Singapore, this exploration found its place within a broader composition, alongside architectural elements, vegetation, and references to everyday Portuguese life, contributing to a collective representation of the country through design and materials.
Stone and the crafts woven into the landscape
BROOT’s pieces were incorporated into various sections of the exhibition, engaging in a dialogue with the built landscape and other Portuguese creations. The first edition, “Dialogues From Within,” featured Studio Anansi, working with schist and wood; Olivah, with granite and burel; Eneida Lombe Tavares, with basalt and wicker; João Marcos Moreira, with marble and cork; and Vítor Reis Cerâmica, with marble and cork. In the second edition, *Crafted by Dialogues*, Miguel Soeiro explored metalwork and sheet metal; Carlos Mello, slate and filigree; Catarina Nogueira Pacheco, cadoiço and blown glass; and Nini Andrade Silva, basalt and Madeira embroidery. Integrated among the exhibition’s botanical and architectural elements, the pieces became part of a broader cultural composition, revealing the diversity of materials, techniques, and know-how that characterize contemporary Portuguese design.
Two editions, an ongoing investigation
“Dialogues From Within” and “Crafted by Dialogues” are the first chapters of a research project that goes beyond the creation of individual collections. BROOT has evolved into a research project examining the evolution of the relationship between humans and Portuguese natural stone over time, while also tracking the transformation of materials, crafts, and production methods. The first edition begins with natural materials and ancestral crafts, exploring the connection between the region’s resources and artisanal practices. The second edition continues this journey, moving toward the systematization of crafts in a pre-industrial context. Each edition thus adds a new stage to a chronological narrative still in progress, which seeks to understand how the relationship between material, knowledge, and creation has transformed throughout history. This research remains open to new periods, dialogues, and creative possibilities.
Taking Portugal Further Through Stone
For Olivah, it is an honor to participate in this initiative as BROOT’s curator and production director, as well as a designer, with one of her collections featured in the project. Attending the opening and seeing this research integrated into such a comprehensive representation of Portuguese culture was an opportunity to contribute to the construction of a collective Portuguese artistic imagination in Asia.
We would like to thank AICEP and the Portuguese Embassy in Singapore for the invitation and for their support of this initiative, which is also the result of the joint efforts of ASSIMAGRA and Olivah to promote and develop BROOT. This participation reinforces our commitment to continuing to research, create, and produce, while deepening the dialogue between natural stone, craftsmanship, and the culture that give meaning to our work.
A project sponsored by ASSIMAGRA, curated and produced by Olivah. Funded by the PRR as part of the Green Agenda.
