Robert Zhao Renhui: The Origin of Invented Species
By Sylvia Tsai
![](https://s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/digital-library.production/uploads/image/file/6090/2014_V1_I88_A015_I001.jpghttps://s3.ap-east-1.amazonaws.com/digital-library.production/uploads/image/file/6093/2014_V1_I88_A015_I002.jpg)
Portrait of ROBERT ZHAO RENHUI. Courtesy the artist.ROBERT ZHAO RENHUI, Hiroshi Abe: Winner, 2008/09 Phylliidae Convention, Tokyo, Abe Morosus (Abe, 2006) (detail), 2009, from
Behind the lemon-yellow door in Singapore's Goodman Arts Centre lies an idiosyncratic collection belonging to a 31-year-old artist and self-professed natural-history lover. Whimsical memorabilia fills the laboratory-like space; life-size replicas of a rottweiler, tortoise and stork greet the visitor. Display cases and various microscopes occupy a center table, while alligator skulls rest on a shelf. An adjacent table is covered with old Singapore postcards, loose photo slides, and wildlife books. Welcome to the curious world of Robert Zhao Renhui.