Thursday 15 March 2007

Shimon Seng 2F/06

This image depicts a young plant growing out of a pavement. On one hand, it clearly reflects the power of nature over man-made constructions like this pavement, but on the other, it shows that Nature is struggling to stamp its authority over humankind in modern society. The sole art of nature in this image – the plant – gives rise to certain questions on whether mankind is superior to Nature or vice versa. While mankind has relied on tools if they want to crack something harder than flesh and bones, such as a rock, we can see the fighting spirit of nature prevailing here. This plant and many others like it, often perceived as weak by mankind due to its indifferent size, has emerged from the rock victorious. It is hard to imagine something so soft winning something harder than itself by a few thousand times without the use of any tools. Through pure determination, we see the plant eventually ruling over the slabs of concrete. In this instance, one would agree that Nature prevails over Man. However, a closer look may alter this view. Behind the success of this plant is an untold tale of years of struggling to make it to the very top. This plant started out as a seed, maybe even pollen. It has certainly demonstrated a strong will to survive in the most undesirable conditions. Yet, it has struggled to grow leaves and roots, to find a footing in the soil where water is in abundance. At this point, the works of mankind was superior to the plant, causing much difficulty in its growth. For once, it looked as if the plant would succumb. This is true in urban society today. Trees that are many times the size of this small plant fell at the blades of chainsaws. Man has caused widespread deforestation and Nature is losing the battle. All that is not man-made is considered “unnatural” and thus should be gotten rid of to create space for human use. However, nature will eventually win the war of superiority. This plant is a good example of the slow turning of the tables. Nature’s determination is something that cannot be conquered by Man. The fact that the plant is growing out of concrete shows exactly how. We can only remove the plant to stop its growth, but we cannot dictate whether the plant will grow or not. When one is removed, another grows. It is simply too much for Man to handle, and Nature can, and will, win the battle, reflecting its everlasting superiority over humankind.

This image tells a story of Man destroying Nature and then making use of it. The picture depicts three people – two adults and a child – in the area just outside the National Orchid Garden. Examining the bottom half of the picture, one will notice that the presence of man-made structures is clearly more than the presence of nature. The concrete pavement occupies most of the area, while there are only 3 tree trunks to be seen. There is an element of irony in this image in the sense that the Botanical Gardens is a place for nature, so the presence of such a large area of concrete actually contrasts with this idea. No one knows how many shrubs or trees were axed when constructing a clearing as big as this, and to rub salt into nature’s wound, benches were erected for people to rest their tired legs and have a drink under the shady canopy, like what the two adults are doing. Meanwhile, the child bikes freely over what used to be the home of grass, shrubs and trees. However, when we examine the entrance to the National Orchid Garden and the upper half of the image together, it looks as if the man-made structure is being engulfed by the canopy of the much taller trees and also the shorter bushes. It shows the disjuncture and conflict between man-made structures and the works of nature. The foreground shows Man having the world at his feet with the pavement occupying a much larger area than the tree trunks, but the back of the picture shows that nature is no push-over and is retaliating by laying siege to the entrance. Man’s priority is urbanization, as depicted by the foreground. Man wants all the space possible for himself and for the convenience of his fellow mates, he axes Nature. If this clearing was replaced by one with grass, it would be muddy when raining. Man does not want his footwear to get dirty; hence he builds a concrete rest area. Nature does not seem that important in this picture, and it is probably the general view of several resource-rich countries that choose income over conservation.


Contrary to the previous image, this picture shows that man-made structures and nature can actually exist in harmony. A stage set in the middle of an almost natural environment does not break the tranquility of the surroundings. The design of the stage blends in well with the surroundings and it does not appear out of place. There is evidence of alteration in the form of the neatly-trimmed grass fronting the stage, and a systematic planting of trees that line the side. Gradually, the number of trees increases toward the back of the stage, where they provide a natural backdrop. The image shows that Man should not alter too much of the natural landscape and should build structures that go along with the surroundings. The dominant party in this image is nature, and we can see that the beauty of it is unrivalled. Kept in its almost untouched state, nature can beautify our surroundings, and it is certainly very pleasing to be able to enjoy music in this environment. The flowing design of the stage’s roof is in line with the varying heights of the trees, and the slightly bluish colour gives an added soft touch to the surroundings, instead of appearing as hard concrete, which would spoil the tranquility. It is true that nature can be altered drastically in today’s urban society with the technology that Man has, and we know that too much alteration can present harmful effects to us like global warming. If there is no alteration, then the whole place would turn out to be very messy and trees and grass will fight with each other for space. Hence, it is important that Man intervenes to a certain extent. The image shows that Man still regards Nature as an important aspect of the urban landscape.
Shimon Seng
2F/06

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