Shawn Danker

Bukit Brown Spaces for the Living

Bukit Brown: Spaces for the living was a photo exhibit organized by a collective of 7 photographers from diverse backgrounds. This photographic collective has united through their love of an art form, to showcase the splendor of one Singapore’s oldest and historically rich treasures through a photographic tapestry – All to foster a richer appreciation of the legacy of Bukit Brown before its heritage trail is cleared to make way for urban redevelopment.

The photo exhibit opened on Monday October 1st 2012 and ran at The Arts House’s Print gallery until the 7th of October 2012. The platform featured works by photographers Shawn Danker, James Wong, Chee Wei Teck, Simin Wang, Wayne Ho, Zann Huang and Siraj Hanifa. The exhibit display aimed to highlight the intertwining the three themes of nature, heritage and spiritualism that reside at the core of Bukit Brown through the visual medium of photography.

The visual exhibit also contained informative captions that weaved the experience into a tapestry of knowledge about the hallowed grounds that act as the final resting place of some of Singapore’s greatest pioneers. The show aimed to attract and engage the Singaporean people by providing them with an artistic and visual means to reconnect with their sense of nature, history and spirituality through a photographer’s lens. 


“This exhibit is meant to be a work of love and a community effort to present our people (Singaporeans) with a unique perspective on a place that many of us have taken for granted. I am always struck by the raw beauty and history of Bukit Brown whenever I walk its grounds. These photos are a means for me to share with people what my eyes see when I look at the place.” Shawn Danker

Amongst the Giants by Shawn Danker
Bukit Brown’s landscape is adorned by ancient rain trees that have grown into spectacular giants that dwarf anything in their path as environmental activist Olivia Choong (pictured under the tree) would attest. Sights like these are intrinsically linked to people’s memories of the place.

The frog in the well by Shawn Danker

An Asian Toad lazily swims in a bucket of water that has become its own self sustaining eco system, complete with tadpoles and mosquito larva.

The Asian Toad is the most common amphibian found in Singapore. Its tadpoles are small and black, and are usually found in drains. Secretions from the skin of the toad are known to be poisonous. Amphibians such as this toad are intimately tied to an aquatic environment. The quality of the water in which they live can affect their growth, development, and survival. Because pollutants, waterborne pathogens, and global environmental changes can all affect water quality, these factors can in turn affect amphibians. Conversely, amphibians are important indicators of water quality, and are considered a sentinel species, meaning that what affects amphibians presently may affect other animal species in the future. The fact that this toad is able to happily live in this bucket of water is an indicator the water is clean and able to sustain life.

Bracket Fungus by Shawn Danker

Bracket Fungus and other fungi are abundant worldwide but largely inconspicuous and unappreciated for vital roles they play in the biosphere. Along with bacteria, fungi are the major decomposers in most terrestrial (and some aquatic) ecosystems, and therefore play a critical role in biogeochemical cycles and in many food webs. Mycorrhizal relationships between plants and fungi is one of the most well-known symbiotic associations and is of significant importance for plant growth and persistence in many ecosystems; over 90% of all plant species engage in mycorrhizal relationships with fungi and are dependent upon this for survival.

Huat Ah! by Shawn Danker

In a flurry of activity, petitioners toss paper money into the air shouting “huat ah!” while burning paper replicas of luxury goods such as houses and cars at the end of a night time cleansing ritual in Bukit Brown. Chinese culture believes that people still need material things in the afterlife. It is common practice during these rituals for petitioners to write down the names of their ancestors on the paper objects being burned. Petitioners will then sign the paper offerings as an acknowledgment of receipt on their ancestors’ behalf. This is to ensure that the correct ancestors receive the goods being sent to them. In this case the petitioners are wrapping up their ritual by making elaborate offerings to appease the spirits with the intention of preventing misfortune from befalling them again.

Mercy by Shawn Danker

This altar of Guan Yin, also known as the Goddess of Mercy, resides in an open area beside an old tomb. Guan Yin is the bodhisattva of compassion venerated by eastern Buddhists. The lady Guan Yin is also one of the most popular gods in the Taoist pantheon. She is revered by Taoists for her embodiment of the virtues of mercy and compassion. The Chinese characters of Guan Yinliterally mean that the goddess that is observing the sounds of the world. One of the myths surrounding Guan Yin states that she once entered and turned hell into paradise, releasing all the tormented souls in hell to ascend into heaven. Guan Yin’s presence in the cemetery could allude to the belief that the power of mercy and compassion is so great that it can redeem souls who have been weighed down by the guilt they accumulated during their lifetimes.

Bloodlines by Shawn Danker

The final resting place of Lee Hoon Leong, the late grandfather of Singapore’s first Prime Minister – Lee Kuan Yew, the man who would go on to shape Singapore into what it is today.

Matchstick Men by Shawn Danker

This is the final resting place of Lee Kim Soo, the Singaporean pioneer who is better known in the history books as the Matchbox King. Lee Kim Soo made his fortune by manufacturing matches in his factory named Elkayes, which is named after the sound of his initials: L.K.S. As a final visual declaration of his station in life, Lee Kim Soo’s headstone is carved in a shape that resembles a matchbox. The headstone’s inscriptions indicate that Lee Kim Soo was in life, blessed with the company of his five wives, whose names are etched on his tomb according to the wives’ rank of seniority. The wives’ ranks are described by titles such as main, succeeding and secondary wives. The headstone’s epitaph tells visitors of a time in history when polygamy was a commonly accepted and practiced within Chinese culture before monogamy became the norm today.

Enlightenment by Shawn Danker

This is the tomb of Tan Boon Liat, the great grandson of Singaporean philanthropist Tan Tock Seng. Tan Boon Liat was the person who built the Gold Bell Mansion on Mount Faber (now known as the Danish Seaman’s Mission). The Gold Bell mansion was built in the memory of Boon Liat’s father, Tan Kim Ching. Kim Ching’s name means Golden Bell in Chinese. Tan Boon Liat was an ardent supporter of Dr Sun Yat Sen, who was once a guest at the Gold Bell Mansion. Tan Boon Liat was also the leader of the Singaporean Branch of the KuoMingTang, the Chinese Nationalist Party. The KuoMingTang was instrumental in the overthrow of the Imperial Qing government of China in the revolution of 1911 which ushered in the birth of a new Republic. The twelve rays adorning Boon Liat’s headstone are metaphorical rays of illumination meant to be a tribute to the KuoMingTang flag and emblem, the "Blue Sky with a White Sun". The twelve rays of the white sun on the headstone correspond to the Chinese measurement of two modern hours and epitomized the spirit of progress or enlightenment through the passage time of time in the Chinese calendar.

Inscription by Shawn Danker


Descendents of the dead usually refurbish the tomb of their ancestors as a display of filial piety, especially during Qing Ming, the annual tomb sweeping festival, or during some other auspicious period. A tomb keeper, who is paid an annual fee to care for the tombs under their charge, is shown repainting the headstone’s inscriptions in gold paint. Red, Green and Gold are the usual auspicious colors used to inscribe the words on the headstones of Chinese graves.

The Bodyguard by Shawn Danker

A pair of erotic topless figurines and Silk guards adorns the tomb of Chinese produce trader, Teo Chin Chay and his wife Mdm Gan. This pair of erotic figurines is a stark deviation from the usual Jade Boy and Golden Girl statues that watch over the tomb of the deceased. The erotic figurines are also a departure from the traditional Judeo-Christian portrayal of angels. This is once again a living testament to the unique Nanyang material culture found in Bukit Brown.

Theft by Shawn Danker
A family of long tail macaques demonstrate why they are one of the most successful wild species that are found in Singapore. These highly adaptable primates are in the process of raiding the offerings left behind by a visitor, with the troop’s alpha male feasting on an orange while being watched by a fellow troop member. Macaques are common in our nature reserves. The population of the macaques are proliferating because they have no natural predators to keep their population in check. In addition, macaques have no fear of humans because of their constant contact with us. The macaques are opportunistic and are considered a nuisance as they sometimes raid houses.

Web of Life by Shawn Danker

“We are but a single strand in an interconnected web of life. What we do to one place will have consequences in another. “All things are connected. Whatever befalls the earth Befalls the sons of the earth. Man did not weave the web of life, He is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, He does to himself.” ― Chief Seattle
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