The display features a 4.5-m tall reproduction of the Cichen Itza pyramid in Mexico. - The Straits Times/Asia News Network
SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/Asia News Network): A 4.5m-tall reproduction of the Chichen Itza pyramid and an 18m-long display of a double-headed serpent made with 3,000 air plants are among the head-turners at Gardens by the Bay's latest draw that celebrates Mexican culture.
The exhibition, which opens on Saturday (Aug 20), is a collaboration between the Gardens and the Embassy of Mexico here.
Called Hanging Gardens - Mexican Roots, the event will pay tribute to the agricultural contributions of Mexico's ancient civilisations by showcasing corn, which was first domesticated in that country about 10,000 years ago.
Gardens by the Bay chief executive Felix Loh said many food crops, like apples and wheat, resemble their wild ancestors but the precursor to corn is a wild grass that looks nothing like today's corn.
"For an ancient civilisation to be able to transform wild grass to something that is not only edible, but delicious and nutritious, takes ingenuity," he added.
Visitors will also be treated to a floral arch, which is filled with designs of hummingbirds and butterflies, and crafted by a third-generation Mexican artisan.
Seed mosaic art handmade by the Mexican community in Singapore will also be on display.
Film screenings, culinary demonstrations and cultural performances are other highlights during the month-long exhibition which ends on Sept 25.
At the launch of the floral display on Friday, Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and National Development Sim Ann said that despite the geographical distance, relations between Singapore and Mexico have continued to flourish, with bilateral trade reaching S$7.6bil (RM24.4bil).
Singapore and Mexico are also signatories of the Pacific Alliance-Singapore Free Trade Agreement, which is currently being ratified.
