Like OF Horticulture
Both men played a significant role in Singapore’s first industrial development, according to Mr. Ng Boon Gee, class producer of NParks ‘ Fort Canning Park and Istana Division.
The carvings were installed at Canning Rise in Fort Canning Park, in the transition area between Farquhar Garden and Spice Gallery, and within the confines of Singapore’s first botanical garden.  ,
The sculpture depicts the roots of iron trees rising up and transforming into semi-abstract numbers encircled by vines and leaves. Raffles and Wallich’s growth as a result of the abstract forms of nature are clearly depicted in the heads and lower bodies.  ,
The carvings were designed by English actor and archaeometallurgist Andrew Lacey, whose approach to making artworks is influenced by traditional, historical, and scientific study.  ,
” Raffles is an iconic figure in himself. Wallich is this creative thinking. But because of their passion of botany, they were brought up, according to Mr. Lacey, who wanted to avoid the seriousness of imperial figures in his work.  ,
” This conversation over time, their letters ( to each other ) – that was the thing that really captured my mind. They were incredibly near companions, and that really struck me. Therefore, I believed that one of the stories needed to be incorporated into the narrative in order to advance it.
The University of East Anglia Alumni ( Singapore Chapter ) commissioned the artwork and gave it to the Estate of Mr. and Mrs. Tan Chee Kow through the Garden City Fund, a recognized charity and Institution of a Public Character established by NParks.
On working with bronze, Mr Lacey said:” It’s got great durability. It’s the thing that I know so well. But actually, it’s someone that’s gonna sit perfectly on the environment. When it starts to age, it’s going to go darker, green ( and ) meld into the background”.