Matthew Portch, Kalah (OPEN 2021)

Since time immemorial, places have been abandoned by their former inhabitants and engulfed by the forces of nature. “Kalah” explores a strange, discarded part of Southeast Asia where concrete forms intertwine with all-consuming jungle. The remains of a forgotten village pose choked in a labyrinth of vines and undergrowth. A deserted basketball court lies in wait for impending evacuees seeking shelter from an active volcano. Meanwhile, a 737 sits mysteriously parked inside a limestone quarry with no runway and no passengers. There is a curious and sometimes morbid allure to dissipated landscapes. Do we demand to know the reason behind these forsaken curiosities or are we perplexed by their enigma?

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