Issue 64

The 'Future' Issue

Habitus #64 Welcome to the HABITUS ‘Future’ and ‘Habitus House of the Year’ Issue. We are thrilled to have interior designer of excellence, Brahman Perera, as Guest Editor and to celebrate his Sri Lankan heritage through an interview with Palinda Kannangara and his extraordinary Ek Onkar project – divine! Thinking about the future, we look at the technology shaping our approach to sustainability and the ways traditional materials are enjoying a new-found place in the spotlight. Profiles on Yvonne Todd, Amy Lawrance, and Kallie Blauhorn are rounded out with projects from Studio ZAWA, SJB, Spirit Level, STUDIOLIVE, Park + Associates and a Lake House made in just 40 days by the wonderful Wutopia Lab, plus the short list for the Habitus House of the Year!

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People Aleesha Callahan

The art of time with Dawn Ng

Photography

Paulius Staniunas | All Is Amazing

Inspired by the lack of seasons in her native Singapore, artist Dawn Ng explores the passing of time through her ephemeral works of art. Recently in Australia for the Melbourne Art Fair x The Ritz Carlton commission, and featured as part of QAGOMA’s Asia Pacific Triennale, Ng reflects on the themes that bubble below the surface of her work.

Dawn Ng’s practice spans sculpture, painting, photography and large-scale installations – all of which revolves around themes of time, memory and the ephemeral. Ng was invited by the Melbourne Art Fair and The Ritz-Carlton to showcase her work through a special commission. Attendees to the fair got to witness The Earth is an Hourglass, while a parallel display of Waterfall IX graces the sky-lobby on Level 80 of The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne.

In discussing her work, Ng reflects, “What is time without numbers? All of us articulate time with numbers, but rarely with a colour, a feeling, or a texture.” This poignant exploration of time’s emotional elasticity is at the heart of The Earth is an Hourglass, a piece that captures the melting of a frozen block of coloured pigment over 20 hours, condensed into a hypnotic 20-minute film. The work’s temporal fluidity serves as a meditation on the impermanence of life, where time becomes a tactile experience – seen, felt and then inevitably lost.

For Ng, the commission offered a unique opportunity to expand her practice. “Being commissioned by Melbourne Art Foundation and QAGOMA, and supported by The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne to create The Earth is an Hourglass has been an incredible opportunity to push the boundaries of my practice and bring this ephemeral meditation on time to life on a grand scale,” she shares. Her fascination with time’s passage is also evident in Waterfall IX, a digital display offering guests a moment of contemplative pause amid the hotel’s luxurious surrounds. “I wanted someone to be able to fall in love again and again,” Ng explains, capturing her intent to invoke a sense of wonder and reflection.

As the ice blocks in Ng’s video installation, layers of colour and complexity are revealed. It’s a celebration of art’s power to evoke emotion and rediscover time in its most beautiful, fleeting form.

Dawn Ng is represented by Sullivan+Strumpf.

Next up: Big Glow is a revolutionary new light soaked in sun-drenched memories

About the Author

Aleesha Callahan

Aleesha seeks out the unique people, projects and products that define the Indo Pacific region. Previously the editor of Habitus and Indesignlive, she has written and contributed to various publications and brands in the architecture and design industry, bringing intimate insight to her stories having first trained and practised as an interior designer. Her passion for mid-century design and architecture began while living and working in Berlin.

The art of time with Dawn Ng

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