Going onstage (www.esplanade.com).

Visual Arts

Insights: Bagus Pandega

Contemplating oxygen scarcity through plant power

Calendar

Published: 10 Jan 2025


Time taken : <5mins

Stomata draws upon Bagus Pandega’s experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic where there was severe shortage of medical oxygen. In response, he researched into do-it-yourself methods to build his own oxygen concentrator machine.

The artist’s machine-building experience is translated into a work that contemplates the fear and desperation caused by the scarcity of a vital resource. Stomata are pores found in plant organs like leaves and stems that facilitate photosynthesis, a life-giving process that is conceptually echoed in the installation at the Concourse. Harnessing the medium of technology, the work is powered by oxygen, generated by a system that purifies air from the environment and biofeedback produced by sansevieria plants nestled within. A lightbox featuring X-ray scans of lungs alludes to the pervasive impact of the virus and collective anxiety over respiratory health.

The installation contemplates the impact of human actions, our relationship with our environment and the value of natural resources. The brief respite of lower pollution levels and cleaner air ended as the world climbed out of the pandemic and activities returned to destructive levels. Stomata reflects on the ramifications of man’s actions on nature and communities, and the precarious balance between progress and environmental preservation.

A wide shot of Stomata, a visual arts installation by Indonesian artist Bagus Pandega.

Installation view of Stomata, Bagus Pandega, 2024.


In Conversation with the Artist

What is the inspiration behind Stomata?

Stomata reflects my personal view of the world, shaped by recent events in Indonesia. I am deeply concerned with how we continue to exploit nature, even though our very existence depends on it. At the core of this paradox is something as fundamental as breathing, our most basic interaction with the environment. This constant exchange with nature, which keeps us alive, contrasts with the way we relentlessly take from it, often without regard for the consequences.

Several potted plants hooked up to a network of tubes and wires, resembling the mechanics of an oxygen concentrator machine, featured in Bagus Pandega's visual arts installation, Stomata.

Installation view of Stomata, Bagus Pandega, 2024.

Plants are collaborators in many of your works. Could you share more on how you work with plants and what led you to adopting this mode of engagement? 

Plants play a significant role in many of my works. My exploration of plant life extends beyond observation. I have found an open-source synthesiser that allows plants to communicate through technology. This opens possibilities for me to modify and explore signals that plants produce, unveiling a subtle form of communication. When you take the time to analyse these signals, you can sense the life within. There are moments when the plants become active and other times when they seem calm and quiet. We live in a world centred around humans, but I aim to shift this perspective. I want to highlight the necessity of humans coexisting with nature, not controlling it. Nature is not something we should dominate. It is something we must live alongside with mutual respect and understanding.

A lightbox featuring X-ray scans of lungs surrounded by potted plants, as part of Bagus Pandega's visual arts installation, Stomata.

Installation view of Stomata, Bagus Pandega, 2024.

The idea of circularity, in systems, ecosystems and circular economies, often appears in your practice. Could you share on your thinking on interconnections, between the work and its environment and within the work itself?

The idea of circularity is quite central to my practice, as I believe that everything in nature is interconnected, from ecosystems to the cycles that sustain life. In my work, I explore how these natural systems mirror each other, with every element playing a role in maintaining balance. The concept of interconnection is especially apparent in my collaboration with plants, where I use technology to interpret their signals, creating a feedback loop between the plants, the environment and myself.

However, in contrast to nature's balance, human activity often disrupts these cycles through exploitation of natural resources. This exploitation, driven by a desire for control and short-term gain, disregards the intricate and delicate systems that keep the environment and its inhabitants thriving. Through my work, I aim to critique this harmful relationship. By revealing the subtle, often unnoticed communication between plants and their surroundings, I want to remind people that nature is not a resource to be consumed, but a network of life that we are deeply connected to.

By tapping into these plant signals, I am not just observing nature but engaging in a dialogue with it. This brings forth the idea that everything is part of a larger system, each part influencing and being influenced by the other. In this way, my work becomes an exploration of the unseen networks that tie everything together. Whether through the open-source nature of the synthesiser I use or through the cyclical processes inherent in plant life, I try to reveal the subtle, yet powerful, connections that exist within nature and between my work and its environment.

This interconnection reflects my belief that humans are not separate from nature but part of a broader system that requires balance, respect, and coexistence. In every piece, I aim to highlight the importance of understanding these relationships and fostering a harmonious cycle, rather than imposing control over the natural world.

Stomata also reflects on the relationship between Indonesia and Singapore through shared environmental concerns. Could you elaborate on your decision to incorporate this into the installation?

I recall a trip to Singapore around 2011, when the entire country was engulfed in smoke from forest fires in Indonesia, likely in the Riau region. These fires were intentionally set to clear land for palm oil plantations. I later learned that the haze was so severe that Singapore had been actively monitoring the situation for years.

Forest fires and haze have become an annual problem in the region over the past 30 years, as vast swathes of forest have been degraded by logging and converted to plantations. While the use of fire for land clearing is illegal, this practice remains widespread, with satellites detecting hundreds of hotspots daily during the dry season, which typically runs through October.

This experience left a lasting impression on me, highlighting the devastating consequences of human actions on the environment and the interconnectedness of ecological issues across borders. Singapore’s air pollution index reached its worst level since 2006, when Sumatra last experienced severe fires. The city-state’s Pollutant Standards Index topped 150, well above the “unhealthy” threshold of 100, according to the National Environment Agency (NEA) website.

In response, Indonesian officials attempted to deflect some of the blame for the fires, which are typically used by companies to clear forests and peatlands for palm oil plantations. Many of these companies are owned by firms based in Singapore and Malaysia. Hadi Daryanto, the second-in-command at Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry stated, “We hope the governments of Malaysia and Singapore will tell their investors to adopt proper measures so we can solve this problem together.”

A lone flower under a single light bulb, as part of Bagus Pandega's visual arts installation, Stomata.

Installation view of Stomata, Bagus Pandega, 2024.

You have explored many current day issues in your works, from the impact of the palm oil industry on natural ecologies, the effects of the pandemic to cross-border issues. Which issues are you particularly drawn to and how do you engage with them in your practice?

I believe that the pandemic and the palm oil industry are primarily human-made disasters. The pandemic originated from a virus in a lab, while the practice of burning forests to clear land for plantations stems from human actions. These issues are interconnected and the relationship between humans and nature inspires me to explore these themes in my work.

My practice serves as a brush and canvas, a tool for expressing my thoughts and ideas. My installation work is fluid and adaptable, continually evolving and growing as I explore new concepts that resonate with me.

Stomata by Bagus Pandega was presented at Esplanade Concourse from 19 Jul 2024 to 5 Jan 2025.

You have 3 out of 3 articles left this month. Create a free Esplanade&Me account or sign in to continue. SIGN UP / LOG IN