Yeo Jia Wen 2E/06

This image shows many trees grown in an urban landscape, surrounding many man-made structures like lamp posts and shelters. As compared to these man-made structures, nature is overwhelmingly huge. This shows the vastness of nature in the urban landscape. It depicts nature as a powerful huge entity, covering and overshadowing the structures that man placed amidst them. The smallness of the lamp post amidst its surroundings further illustrates the helplessness of urban society when they interact with nature. This is especially true in the case of natural disasters, where nature would definitely emerge as victors over any society no matter how urban and developed they are. Thus, it can be seen that nature plays an important role in urban society today, as they are huge and influential to the urban landscape. Sunlight penetrating the area from the top right hand corner of the image also suggests a sense of hope derived form nature. This also suggests that nature can be a form of inspiration to man, as man constructs the urban landscape. As such, nature can also be seen as the key inspiration for man in beautifying the urban landscape.

This image shows a man-made structure, one with rocks and a spherical ball, amidst the natural surroundings. It shows the balance and harmony between nature and the urban landscape it is set in. Sunlight shining on the spherical ball brings out the perfect rounded contours of the structure and this sense of perfection is illustrated upon the artificial edgy rocks the ball is placed on. This seems to suggest that things can be more ideal when nature is incorporated into our urban lives, just like how sunlight brings out the perfection of the urban landscape. The plants and trees in the background also bring out the beauty of the man-made structure. As such, it can be seen that nature is harmoniously incorporated into the urban landscape, and plays an important role in eliciting the beauty of the urban landscape and bringing it to perfection.

This image shows a plant growing out of the area it is supposed to be kept in. The plant’s leaves have far extended beyond the string used to withhold them. It is significant as it shows the power of nature of overcoming the restrictions which man impose on them. This image suggests that nature is very influential in urban society today, as she is able to impose their will on man, however unwilling man may be to accept the results. Nature is able to do so in spite of man’s fruitless attempts to suppress it, or prevent it from happening as she has the power over man. It shows that although technology is very advanced in urban society today, it may still fail to defeat nature as nature is an uncontrollable body. It is evident in society we live in today, where we witness natural disasters befall even the richest countries. One clear example would be the disaster of Hurricane Katrina, which hit the north-central Gulf Coast of the United States and caused much devastation to that area. As such, the influential power of nature in urban society today is clearly overwhelming.

Yeo Jia Wen

2E/06

Rachel Er Sok Sian 2E'06

What inspired my poem was Wordworth’s idea that the destruction of nature by man eventually leads to the lost of connection with nature. Man used to be able to enjoy the beauty of nature, untainted, but now has since been changed drastically. The reason for writing this poem is to illustrate the change from the past till the present, when we could no longer appreciate the beauty of nature as it faces destruction through our hands.

Rivers and streams gushing with time,
Endlessly they sing.
Forgotten are all troubles,
For much laughter do they bring.

The wind gently blowing its lullaby,
Like a mother lulling her tune.
Enchanting all it encounters,
Soothing all our fears.

Flowers in gay profusion,
Petals they dance with glee.
Delighting all who gaze upon them,
For lovely hues of joy is seen.

Majestically ancient trees,
Resembling sentinels watching us.
In awe we revere,
Spell-bounded we behold.

Birds and Bees and all that fly,
Freely they wander in the skies.
Boundless in flight like our thoughts,
Imagination soaring unchained.

Appreciative we should have been,
Alas materialism manipulates our minds.
What we had we now destroyed,
Beauty is only but a dream.

Thick haze hangs in the air,
Smoldering our frantic lives.
Fresh air we used to breathe,
Yet now struggling to retrieve.

Slash and burn for profit gains,
We only have ourselves to blame.
Gone is greenery that pleases the eye,
Replace by soot that blights our sight.

Unbalanced is the world at hand,
Endangered are the species of the land.
Seeking to regain what we had,
Reduce, reuse, recycle, or regret.

Done by:

Rachel Er(:

Wah Rou Lin Claris 2A/06

This photograph shows a young boy sitting down comfortably on the cement ground in the company of the plants and tress around him. He took out his hat and is tying his shoelaces at the moment.

Basically, this image just shows that in an urban space, the company of trees which is part of nature provides relaxation to man and can be a source of rejuvenation for their soul. In this photograph, the boy is sitting down in the middle of nowhere to tie his shoelaces. This shows that when surrounded by nature, the boy is totally at ease and does not even care about his public image. The only place one will not bother about their public appearances will be our homes. Thus, this image seems to suggest that the boy treats this place like his home where he can behave like his normal self and this emphasizes the point that nature helps to soothe one’s soul and allow man to be at ease. The cool colours such as green and light blue, in this picture are not very striking, but soothing. There is an suitable amount of sunlight in this image and the innocence of the young boy makes the whole photograph very comfortable to look at. This shows the harmony between man and nature.

This image shows that nature plays an important role in urban society today. It serves as a source of relaxation for people to let go of all their frustrations and be at ease. Many people often go to nature spots to relax as the scenery of all the trees and flowers just seem to have a soothing effect on man.




This photograph shows two black pipes connected to two grass patches and there is a big gap filled with stones and pebbles between the grass patches.

The big gap in the ground represents the connection that is lost between man and nature. The black pipes that are stuck in the ground are man-made creations. The image portrays the pipes trying to pull the two grass patches closer to it. Thus, this image seems to suggest that man is trying to connect to nature and pull nature closer to them. However, there are pebbles and rocks in the gap which appear to be there some time ago and they serve as obstructions to man’s attempt to connect back to nature. Moreover, the colour of the pipes, which is black, is contrasting to the light green colour of the grass which means that the two colours do not blend with each other. It seems to suggest that man and nature are not in harmony with each other anymore, just like how the black pipes do not blend in with the grass patches. Therefore it shows that man’s attempt to embrace nature and to regain connection with nature is not very successful.

The image presents the scenario of nature slowly losing connection with man and there is less hope of regaining connection between both parties in the urban society today. People nowadays are too preoccupied with the modern world and all the technologies. People cut down trees and mangroves for industrialisation and these actions are destroying nature bit by bit and we do not care anymore. We no longer treat nature as our friend or something we are concerned with. Thus, man is losing connection with nature.




This photo shows the plants and flowers being enclosed in a small area set up by man. However, the plants and flowers are branching out of the enclosed area which is made up of several planks tied securely together with a green rope.

The branching out of the plants and flowers seems to show the power of nature over man-made creations. The bright colours that the flowers possess are contrasting with the dull colour of the planks and rope. This also suggests that nature and man are not coexisting in harmony. Man’s attempt to dominate over nature and to confine nature in a specific area can be interpreted by the tight knots made by the green rope around the planks to secure the planks and prevent the plants from branching out. The futile attempt signifies that nature cannot be controlled or dominated by man no matter how hard man tries.

Thus, we can interpret that nature holds an important place in urban society. It cannot be controlled by man-made creations or dominated by man. At times when nature is controlled or dominated by man, it is only temporarily. Nature will soon break out of man’s clutches just like how the plants branched out of the enclosed area in the photo. Examples would include natural disasters such as tsunamis and volcano eruptions where man has no control over nature even though how hard they try and are helpless when natural disasters cause destruction to their homes and take away their lives. This is like a form of revenge on man and shows the power of nature over man.


Claris Wah
2A/06

Teo Zhi Hao 2e'06.

The place was basically shrub infested. Plants, trees, flowers. Everything seemed so similar, so similar. Until i saw this bandstand, which really stood out from the rest. I took a picture. Although the trees and greenery brought out a certain sense of serenity, it came across to me as somewhat, lonely and empty. It was original built as a landscape design for the botanical gardens, which was later altered for the purpose of military band performances, but gradually became a landscape feature once again, to fit along with the entire theme of nature. The whole of last term we have been discussing about man and nature, and this, amongst all that nature that engulfs it, shows how man slowly conforms with nature, despite initially trying to change it for entertainment purposes.

The Bandstand

Erected it stands, the epicenter
The cynosure
The music plays
drum and bass,
loud and clear.

Pentandra pavonina
flower
fruit
bud

Forsaken, its purpose
Once staged by military bands
Music echoes,
It’s the wind,
Pray you, hear.

That distant sound
Marching bands?
No,
The swaying trees
with outstretched hands.

Forgotten, it stands
Serene.
Empty.
The music plays
No, it’s the wind,
Pray you, hear.

Han Xinci 2B/06

Picture 1, Man’s integration
This picture depicts a water cooler in the Evolution Garden with bushes at the back. The water cooler is constructed with inspiration from nature. The structure of the bark of a tree is used as a support. This can be a representation of man’s need for nature to supply us with water which everyone needs for survival. Stone is used as the basin to hold the wasted water. This can be a representation of the destruction made to nature by man. Nature is providing us with resources, yet we are creating wastes and destroying it. The design of the water cooler is based on nature. Man is trying to blend it in to the bushes at the background of the picture. However, it is still artificial. It is impossible for man-made features to exist with nature as one.


Picture 2, Dominance of man or nature?

This picture depicts a circular shelter surrounding a group of trees. This can represent man’s domination and control over nature. It is the main focus of the picture and the only man-made feature inside as well. The focus suggests man’s self-centeredness. We always think that we can shape nature to what we want, just like how the trees are situated in the middle of the circle. The shelter built on the uphill can again be referred as man’s dominance. However, when we look beyond the shelter, we realize that there are bigger trees around the shelter as well. These trees grow much taller compared to those inside the shelter. Man tends to forget that we are unable to manipulate everything about nature. They are beyond our control.

Picture 3, Nature and modernisation
The image above is mainly made up of rocks, stones and pebbles, all of which are natural. However, at the foreground, we can see a little lamppost. It is part of the urban landscape as it is artificially constructed. The reason it is there is to aid people move around when it is dark. This suggests efforts by man to create comfort in our lives with technology. However with such modernizations, man must take into consideration of its harm done to nature. The lamppost does not blend into rocks. There is a contrast between the rounded lamppost and the sharp rocks. Certain places of nature must be conserved even though man needs modernization.

- Han Xinci 2B/06