Manicured Nature: 

Investigating Mutual Inter-Dependence of Urban-Nature Relationships

The Idea

• Urban Ecosystem 
• sustainability of the human habitat
• Through Artists and art making, facilitate engagement with local eco group, ecological science, representatives of local governance and civil society, to promote this environmental perspective.
• Investigating nature/ecosystems with high ecological and heritage value
• Create a sense of community ownership 
• Experience responsibility for our natural resources, foster cross-cultural and intergenerational understanding, 
• Promote civic engagement and encourage volunteerism.
• Learning locally and linking globally
• Consider: the protection and sustainable management of urban nature globally

Aims and Objectives:
In Singapore’s need for rapid urbanization, many sites of historical value have vanished, and natural environment, manicured and transformed in the name of progression. 

The younger generations may possess only minimal knowledge of these sites of high ecological and heritage value. Consequently, the result is evident in her people – fast-track everyday lives, results orientated, and so on.  As such, opportunities to dwell in process driven encounters has not been widely advocated up to recent years. 

Our objective for this project is to facilitate process driven programs, and interactive artworks that will ultimately result in nature – specific dialogue through creative engagement. Ultimately, creating a sense of community ownership and responsibility among intergenerational and intercultural partakers.

Description of Project:
Manicured Nature aim to create responses to urban – nature relationships from myriad perspectives. The project is envisaged to be a collaboration and dialogue of creative professionals from varying discipline background, during a 1.5 months residency, at the newly ‘operational’ Dairy Farm Nature Park in the central of Singapore Island. These participants will be rooted in actual experience, of investigating our local bioregion of high ecological and heritage value.

Participants will eventually respond through their creative process utilizing individual’s forte. We anticipate site – specific or ephemeral works, ‘nature’s emblem’ that employs natural resources as medium or performances integrated into nature’s ecosystem, and so on. During which, interested/committed individuals and school groups will be arranged to work in close partnership with MN’s participants.