Clay and trees; art and nature

The relationship between art and the natural environment


I took up ceramics about 2 years ago, and throughout these 2 years I’ve had the opportunity to learn so much about the medium and the amazing ways that clay can be manipulated with our hands. I’ve grown to love clay more and more, and my love for the medium has evolved not just through my handling of the material, but also through understanding its origins; the way that it came from the ground and the way that the material we treasure so much originated from nature.

There are 2 things, and these 2 things are one of my greatest loves. The first as I’ve mentioned, is ceramics, but the second is nature. Nature is something that similar to ceramics I’ve grown to love over the years more and more, and the appreciation I have to the natural environment translates into a concern for these current environmental causes. My love for these two things however, becomes rather problematic when certain aspects of ceramics are scrutinized, and may not sit very well in the heart of those who love the environment. There is certain contention within ceramics, due to the firing process which takes up a great deal of energy, and results in the release of greenhouse gases. And it is this contradiction that creates tension between the two of my biggest loves. The contradiction between ceramics and the environment leads me to question the relationship between the two, and the way that these two can influence each other in the negative aspects but also in positive ways. Art is powerful and it is used for communication, for expressing ideas, and for influencing the masses. The influence that the arts has can be seen in both positive and negative ways, and through the tangible and intangible impacts that it has on nature.

It is definite that the communicative capability of the arts has the power to spread awareness of issues in the environmental scene, as well as the way that art can influence one to appreciate and see the beauty in nature. It was also the arts for me, that aided me to see the more beautiful and promising elements nature has, rather than focusing on the “unfavorable” aspects that as urban dwellers, we tend to see more. Living in Orchard Road, the heart of the city in Singapore, I grew up in an extremely metropolitan society. Growing accustomed to the sounds of cars honking or speeding by, or by the sight of office workers rushing from the bus stops to the buildings, or just the hustle of city life in general, it was really easy for me to loose sight and completely unaware of what nature has to offer, or the importance of nature to us not just in the tangible sense, but also intangibly. The environment provides not just food, oxygen, water, or timber, or any of these daily necessities, but also has so much more to offer with the its beautiful bird calls and magnificent trees. Nature’s extremely multi-sensory traits give us the opportunity to connect with something on a completely different level, a level that us as Singaporeans may sometimes be unaccustomed to. I’m not saying we forgot all our troubles when we surround ourselves with green, but I assert my belief that nature’s power to heal and soothe has the ability to open our eyes to all the good in the world reminding us of the endless possibilities and opportunities that life gives us. Surrounding ourselves in nature humbles us, and encourages us to appreciate the details that we often ignore. We realize the extremity of the Earth, and just how much diversity there is, and through this realization and immersion in these green spaces, one can become so aware of just how small a single individual may appear when surrounded by just so much.

But I digress from my point, and coming back to how the arts influenced me to see nature in a different light, it was painting that brought me to see the beauty in nature. I began painting landscapes; mountains, trees, sunsets, birds, in Secondary 2, and I never really looked too deep into concepts or theories made in the arts. To me, it was just to paint what I saw, and paint to it realistically and in “pretty” ways. Despite that mindset back then, it is now that I look back and realize how painting those images; those images that I never accustomed myself to (because of living in the city) actually brought me to appreciate the environment not merely for it how it gives us food, or provides us with oxygen, but also for the more intangible qualities. The way that nature just manages us to make us so happy. The way we can forget all the stress and the troubles for just a mere moment, as we take time to appreciate how amazing the colors of the sunsets are. They way we relax as we take time to marvel at how complex and intricate the branches display themselves on a tree. The act of painting, and of seeing other paintings which are representations of natural imagery, encourages this appreciation of the environment, and it is this appreciation that when combined with environmental awareness, will eventually translate into a concern for the current environmental issues. 

Earlier paintings of mountains done in the Secondary 2 days

Photos taken during a 2 week stay at the Gunung Leuser National Park of Sumatra back in 2013 with schoolmates

These are the intangible qualities that nature offers us, and also the intangibility of what art can offer the environment; through the encouragement of nature appreciation. But while we do see the amazing ways in which our works contribute to a larger cause, it is important as art students to also be aware of how our art can have negative tangible aspects. The practice of art requires resources; painting requires paint/ canvases, ceramics requires clay/ firing processes, sculpture requires wood/ metal / etc, and on it goes. These resources come from nature, and when used in excess may cause degradation to our ecology. And so despite the positive ways that our art can impact the environment, it also comes with certain drawbacks. But awareness of both the pros and cons gives us a more holistic view of our practice and the actions we undergo in our artistic pursuit, and it is through this knowledge that we learn to balance what we take from the environment, together with what we can give back. But of course this is merely my own subjective view, and different art students will have varying perspectives on this issue. Art is objective, and encompasses a huge range of ideas and opinions, and so I clarify that although I hold this view, I acknowledge the different beliefs that other people have too.

Nature does not just give to art in terms of materiality; how clay comes from the Earth, or how the physicality of our works compose of materials originating from the Earth. But also in terms of how nature influences artworks, in terms of subject matter, aesthetics, or ideas. I mean, Van Gogh wouldn’t have been able to paint his sunflowers, without the sunflowers themselves! As a student I myself also find so much inspiration in the natural environment, and motifs that occur is nature represent themselves very frequently in my works. Interested in capturing the similarities between us as people and the natural environment, nature influences me very much and in my process of conceptualizing or idealizing my works. And these similarities present themselves not only through the mere fact that we are all living organisms, but also through characteristic traits, such as the things we do or the way we react to certain situations.

"Erosion #1, #2, #3"

Over time natural external forces weathers and erodes natural material, wearing off the surfaces of stone and rock. These forces create crevices and cracks, imprinting their mark onto the exterior and  divulges histories and stories behind the life of the rock. Their experiences give them their physical appearance, just as how we too are shaped by experiences.

"This is how tendrils pretend"

Tendrils of parasites wrap themselves seductively around a living organism, slowly sucking away its life. The function of a pot fused together with the aesthetic qualities of tendrils hopes to illustrate the dangers of safety and the poison of having too much comfort.

"Below the surface lies more than 8/9 of the iceberg’s form"

The iceberg hides more than 8/9 of its form underneath icy waters. As do those surrounding us who hide themselves underneath the exterior they exude.

I end this by telling myself to remember that despite my personal beliefs and opinions to art and its relation to the environment, I also have to remember the objectivity that surrounds art itself. Someone once told me, that art “should never be anything,” and we cannot say that “art should be (this) or (that).” Instead we keep our own opinions and share them, remembering not to impose your beliefs on others. Art was how I began to appreciate nature, and nature is what inspires me in my practice, and so it is so important to me that I balance what nature has given my works, and what my practice can offer to the environment.

(treesandlove.blogspot.com)

Greenbeans Walks @ Macritchie

It's a brand new year for the Green Beans! And its only gotten busier and beanier for us. In light of the Cross Island Line , the Green Beans visited the Macritchie Nature Reserve again, this time with 37 Greenbeanies (some old, some new) on 8th, 9th and 15th Feb.

First Greenbeans outing of 2014!

The Greenbeans on 9th Feb

The Greenbeans on 15th Feb

Becky explaining the symbiotic relationship between the ants and the Macaranga plant

"Joggers: the new species of Macritchie" - Qing

Learning about the Central Catchment Area and the effects of the Cross Island Line

The Senduduk and The Bee

    Infobites: Did you know that this sweet purple and yellow shrub has many uses for both humans and animals? The plant is commonly found in many wild places in South East Asia (including coastal area) is  known as the Singapore rhododendron although it is not a rhododendron.The sour young leaves of these plants are not only edible, its roots and leaves are used in traditional treatments of diarrhea and dysentery. When powdered, these leaves may also be sprinkled over wounds and can be used to treat elephants! Interestingly, the fruits may also be used to produce a black dye to yield a very juicy artwork

Adapted from: http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/plants/others/melastoma/malabathricum.htm

Plaintain Squirrel

Greater Racket-tailed Drongo

The Road Not Taken

Everything is connected...

Lalang... People...

Almira and Becky teaching the Greenbeans the Lalang game that they learnt from locals at the Sei Betung Reforestation Site in Sumatra

GPS Sumatra (May-June)

Earlier on in May this year, Becky and I spent 16 days with 13 schoolmates from SOTA and 2 teachers in the Sumatran rainforest, learning from and working with the Restoration team there, doing Reforestation work as well as conducting environmental based programmes for primary schools there.
This was part SOTA's Year 5 Global PerspectiveS (GPS) program.

Click on the link below to read more about my thoughts as the 16 days progressed.
It was a very meaningful and musical journey, learning about the forest, the issues with oil palm plantation encroachment, and the most important discovery - learning about ourselves and our connection with our natural environment.

Read about our journey here

Have a very happy new year!

~Almira, Green Beans.

The simple act of eating fish

View from the Moon Rock

Taken by Ms Kong

In early November, Almira and I went on a school expedition to the Anambas Islands 1 day from the coast of Batam. For a period of ten days on the South China Sea, we sailed on Captain Blake's Four Friends with 12 other students. During the expedition, we spent out time kayaking and snorkelling in the crystal blue waters as well as combing the white beaches of uninhabited islands.

Having participated in many environmental activities in 2013 such as starting the environment group, the Green Beans I have had frequent opportunities to preserve nature. However, my participation in this expedition has prompted me to reflect on the environmental friendliness of outdoor sports and expeditions such as these.

Firstly, my hesitation for such outdoor activities was seeded when we hauled our kayaks across an extensive live coral bed due to the low tide on the third day. This accident which culminated in a brief bout of night kayaking was unforeseen but bore profound effects on many corals.

Lugging our kayaks across the coral bed

Taken by Ms Kong

 This was compounded on the third day of the expedition when we "scrambled" up a 30 m high black rock. In the process, Almira and I began identifying the types of forest on the island. Interestingly, the medium sized island foliage was similar to that of Singapore and would probably have been the same if the islands were inhabited. Nevertheless, the island betrayed that it was indeed a secondary forest as seen by the well trodden paths. Why was that so? A shorter, mowed undergrowth of sprawling plants soon betrayed the old marks of mankind’s hands, probably for agricultural purposes.

Emerald Lagoon, Pam's Island (centre) and Sobreno Island (right) at Pulau Bawa

Taken by Amrita

At the top, the Captain told us a short story about the future of the island. In approximately 10 years or even less, Pulau bawa would be transformed into a resort for tourists to immerse themselves in the natural beauty of the island. Often, throughout the trip, the Captain would wax lyrical about how we should have been born 40 years ago to see the bustling marine life. For instance, turtles and whales were once spotted frequently in the serene, rippling lagoon from the rock that we had just climbed.

The white, lifeless smoke snaking in the distance, eating away at the dense trees could only mean one thing. People. Material laden boats would soon follow shortly into the tranquil lagoon bearing their toxic, metal cargo. The pristine, colourful corals we had snorkelled in yesterday would probably crumble sooner or later under such an unnatural load. Upon reflection, I recalled the beach resorts that I had visited and wondered if the value of mankind’s temporal pleasure for a short 5 days was valued over the potentially marine life that probably once was much more abundant than the few we ‘ooh and ah’ over.

Whilst descending the rock, I realized that we were also chopping down the very plants we claimed to protect. Every little action we created killed one plant (as insignificant as that may sound). But the plant is more than a plant. It is a young tree that will take another 5-10 years to grow again to where it was or maybe never grow again.

Were we much better than the men building the resort? Were these outdoor expeditions creating their own tiny environmental impact instead? This led me to realize the importance of ‘ecotourism’ and an environment ethos when travelling. Often, it is easy to forget the implications of our actions when we possess the ‘I want to have fun’ mentality. If we want to protect the beautiful wildlife that we encountered and ensure that 40 years down the road our future generations can enjoy the same crystal, aquamarine seas, our actions to minimise impact is a prerogative. I realized that it is not about being anal but being considerate.

A scared clownfish (not Nemo) at Turtle Reach, Pulau Bawa

Taken by Ms Kong

Another issue eating and environmentally consciousness was raised once again during the trip when a group of us decided to eat oysters and sea urchins in an uninhabited island on the 9th day. Previously, we had learnt to pluck coconuts and catch sea urchin the day before around Rainbow Cracker Beach and Pulau Acah in the SOTA archipelago. That day we began to consume large quantities of oysters clammed to the rocks and hunting for sea urchins. However, some people were clearly disturbed by this action and brought it up later that night. Upon the reflection, I realized that I had caught a sea urchin with the same ‘I want to have fun’ mentality. If no one had eaten the sea urchin, I would have killed out of excess. Thus the lesson was learnt that just because these creatures don’t have large eyes and fur doesn’t mean that they deserve to die.

Nevertheless, I personally think that being careful when eating doesn’t equate to completely rejecting meat when it is offered. During a discussion with friends when we were stranded amidst the coral beds on the second day, we concluded that rejecting the meat resulted in more food wastage if no one was willing to eat it. This would mean that the animal’s life which was sacrificed for the meal was wasted. In the one of the later days, we experienced this when we killed fishes caught by the locals (one of them was a rainbow fish). Initially, many of us felt irked at the idea of consuming a life. Mutely, we watched the final, painful breath of a beautiful brown and black striped fish as one of us hacked it apart. However, not eating the fish also mean that the fishes were killed in vain. Almira's philosophy (which I fully agree) is that it is more worthwhile to consume and appreciate the value of the fish's life instead.

The meal before the chopping

Taken by Ms Kong

Living in an industrialized city like Singapore often disconnects us from the roots of food. I too find myself forgetting that the soya sauce doused steamed meal decorated with fried garlic on the table was not just a frosty ice block in the supermarket but a live, flopping fish in the sea. After the bloody incident, many people expressed that they will not eat fish for a long time after witnessing the death of one fish. How ignorant we must appear to be in the eyes of the locals! However, this points us to a larger problem that we Singaporeans lack the practical experience of basic skills. This is probably the reason why we conduct outdoor activities like these. Through this experience, students are able to appreciate nature which is unobstructed by concrete towers or muddy waters. Nevertheless, we must also remember that our actions inevitably impact environment and enjoy the breathtaking views with restraint (e.g refraining from overconsumption of sea urchins or the amount of plastic waste generated). But aside from making resolutions to be environmentally conscious in the future during expeditions, why not start now from home and start reducing the amount of waste thrown away? 
Credits: All the photos in this entry were taken by members on the trip (Ms Kong and Amrita).
Note, the contents may not be approved by the Grammar police as this was adapted from a reflection.

Written by Qing

Just look, look and chill (Ubin Happy Day)

Pictures taken by Becky

Macritchie Memories

Previously, the furthest I had gone into Macritchie reservoir was the door, literally. It was a brief visit with my family and the most memorable part of the dusty compound was a bare grey structure of a cafe that sold expensive, average tasting drinks. That was certainly enough to stamp a big red "commercial place" in my childhood list and effectively strike it off the list of potential trekking sites.  And as most stories go, there was certainly definitely so much more to it than the entrance. Moral of the story, don't judge a book by a cover, likewise don't judge a place by its appearance but its true worth.

In fact, one can enter from all points imaginable, not just the official upgraded entrance. Our small crew consisting of all things green, fingers and horns, enthusiasts and guides, began our journey at Sime Road somewhere opposite Island Country Club. Mirroring the color scheme, our conversation buzzed with life about life itself.

Indeed the wildlife in the Central Catchment is admirable, not only is it the last primary forest left in Singapore, the thick undergrowth is one of the rare pieces of land that weren't razed down by the gambier farmers when they arrived before Raffles. This was all thanks to that strip of bank, a piece of knowledge kindly imparted by one of our nature sages/guides. 

From leaf birds to sea apple tree relatives, the morning was milked for its worth as we rediscovered Singapore and appreciating nature not in textbooks or negative production externalities but by experience. For the matter, no words or numbers can quantify the experience of being in nature and the wonders a foliage can bring. There is this sense of reclaiming the enthusiasm of what once was lost as if the passage of time has been reversed and one is a child again like spotting squirrels and bird watching.

Some might ask, why bother when it is going to be gone eventually? What the future generation doesn't know won't harm them.

Exactly. Rediscovering a place beyond the shopping districts and omnipresent street lighting. Appreciating the lone piece of foliage swamped in a deluge of construction sites and towers. People might say that the quest is a cause that will ultimately fade off and die. One thing I would like you to remember is that our house is not just a home to us alone. The relationship is symbiotic, meaning that we're all dependent on one another and coexist harmoniously. Yet all this will change slightly with the construction of the MRT line through a part of the forest.

Imagine this. One day, a big shoe lands in your backyard and only grows bigger every second. The shoe starts to negotiate with you at first but eventually takes it as its right to step anywhere it wants. After all, you can't argue against a shoe.

The moral of the story is, we should take what we need and return what we don't. The walk opened up our eyes to a whole complex world of relationships between flora and fauna that can be a big problem if altered. This reminds me of documentary I watched in Year 1 called Darwin's Nightmare whereby a man's simple act of dropping a bucket of fish into a river ruined an entire ecosystem. Inevitably, we will affect nature, as told by the guides, whenever we enter it. For example, one road eroded over a long period of time after being trod repeatedly due to the nature walks conducted. That's why we need to conserve certain areas, especially the primary forest which holds a trove of bustling biodiversity. To name a few, we saw a rare lizard just along the edge of the Central Catchment Forest so just imagine how many other species there are in there!

Is the risk necessary? The crux of the issue is that we have no idea what the building of an MRT would do to a tropical primary forest as no one has actually built an MRT line, much less a train station, through a reservoir. and negative ramifications of loud noises, interruption to water supply, destruction of trees are impending, since if one wants the animals and plants to adapt to the noise, they can't do so overnight. When lives are involved, the risk is too high to take 

Perhaps the biggest issue comes back to the whole notion of price, pricey drinks are just the least of the problems.  What price do we pay in the long term or short term? Nature is something that once lost , becomes harder to replace. No matter how desperate you are, a tree doesn't age a century until a century happens.

My challenge to whoever that reads this is to ask yourself "what can I do to change this?" and not believe that cutting through our primary forest is an inevitable fact. We can still change it if we try (http://lovemacritchie.wordpress.com).

At the end of the day, I've learnt that there is no point if everything solely functions on a theoretical basis and justification. What's important is that you loosen up a bit and go out to experience what you want to save before saving it. The last step is to act on the impulse and do something. So lastly, do something for the environment today not just because other plants and animals depend it but also because we depend on it too.

Mentioned article

Darwin's Nightmare :

http://articles.latimes.com/2006/feb/10/entertainment/et-darwin10

Do watch the documentary as it is quite interesting and informative

Qing,

The Green Beans

We the MacRitchie Lovers

Today, Qing and I went for a 'Love MacRitchie advocates training', which was a nature guide training for the Central Catchment Nature Reserve. The training was conducted by local nature guides who have been advocates for the environment, some for 30 years already, and we could really feel their passion and dedication in saving Singapore's natural green spaces. 

To sum it up, this training was part of the campaign 'Love Our MacRitchie Forest' which was initiated in response to the government's proposed Cross Island MRT Line, that is set to cut through the Nature Reserve through the MacRitchie forest, including the precious primary rainforest within it. 

Proposed Cross Island MRT Line through the CCNR
Picture from http://lovemacritchie.wordpress.com/about/



So instead of talking about the birds that we heard and saw, foraging reptiles and mammals that we stared at in silent awe, insects we photographed, or the many trees that we identified, I want to present my own personal experience and takeaways from today. Everyone in the group went through the same physical journey and saw the same things, but each and every one of us experienced them very differently - and that's the beauty of nature. It provides you with whatever you require - tangible or intangible.

We already know that we get a lot of our stuff from nature, that's the material, 'practical' aspect. But there is so much more that nature provides us with, beyond what you can buy, sell or wear.
What I've learnt throughout my 17 years of growing up with nature is that our relationship with Mother Nature is much more than just a transactional and material one. There must be a reason why we ascribe the name "Mother" to nature isn't there?

By calling her Mother, nature becomes a person to us. Not just a person, but a mother, someone who cares, nurtures, and provides for us. Like the oldest trees in the forest, she is grounded and always there with us. Like the birds in flight she looks after us wherever we may be. And through the entire ecosystem, she shows us how, just like the symbiotic relationships we see in nature, we too must remember that we are part of the ecosystem, and that anything that we do to it, will not only affect others in the web of life, but will affect us as well - and so like all mothers and mentors in our life, she teaches us to think before we do, to be people-centered and think a little bit more about the other people who are in our lives.

Mother Nature, right here, is a teacher, a friend, and is our family, and the least we can do to give back to all her generosity of all these years of bringing up our human race, is to respect her and say thank you. Are these not universal teachings that we value among people? Why should our relationship with nature be any different?

Just as how our relationship with other people reflects who we are as a person, so does our relationship with nature. How can we cut through the nature reserve (is it not called a 'nature reserve' for a reason), and assume that nature will adapt to its new concrete surroundings? Just as we have learnt never to take people for granted, the same goes for nature. We have a biodiversity richer than you can imagine, though sad to say, it is declining rapidly. I implore you to think about what you would like to do to give back to the forest, as you would do for your parents, grandparents, children and loved ones.

So why do I write all this? Is the issue not about stopping the MRT line from being built and to protect our forests through raising awareness of the issue at hand?
Yes, but for me, it is not at all about getting angry at the government, seeing them as an enemy that seems to be out to destroy everything that we love. You probably know this little saying, that when you point your finger at someone, there are three fingers pointing back at you.
I was in London 3 years back, and I came across a sign that said;
You are not stuck in traffic. You are Traffic. 
How often do we fail to realise that we are part of the problem?
When will we begin to realise that the fact that this issue exists in the first place, is in itself a reflection of our own society and of ourselves?
How many times have we wanted the quick fix to a problem, the shortcuts and the cheat sheets?
How many times have we complained that there is never enough...? 
We are not the only ones on this planet, and we part of an Ecosystem, and not an Egosystem. 
How often to we pause to reflect on our own lives?

I'm throwing out a lot of these questions, questions that are perhaps not meant to be answered but are somehow answers in themselves. Just by thinking about these questions, we raise our awareness that the issue at hand is not an issue external to ourselves but more of a reflection of ourselves. So I guess the more fundamental, underlying question at hand is not about MacRitchie (though it is indeed a big issue important to us), but is (and I leave you with this thought) :

What kind of person do you want to be? 


Stay tuned, we'll be posting more information about the actual names, statistics and stories from our training today soon!

Almira 
The Green Beans.