The Nature of Things Exhibition
Interior Design
Overview
The Nature of Things Exhibition is a project I did for the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum in collaboration with the Design Incubation Center of NUS. This exhibition was conceptualised as an exploration of the relationship between nature and human habitats. The scenography of the home setting calls forth a juxtaposition between two sides of a window—within human-designed spaces and without, across nature. This distinction invites us to re-examine our perceptions and pre-perceptions of cohabitation with nature and its phenomena. What does it mean to live in a City in Nature? How can we share meaningful space with nature, regardless of the side of the window we find ourselves on?
Approach
I designed the exhibition space with my project partner Jocelyn Tan Xin Yee under a project platform by Christophe Gaubert. Our initial idea, “Living Room” aimed to explore the intricate relationship between nature and humans, examining the irony of our desire to incorporate nature into our spaces while isolating ourselves from its true form. The exhibition simulates a living room, not as we know it, but as a shared space for both humans and nature. Through seven distinct sections, visitors journey through immersive environments that blur the lines between indoors and outdoors. Strategic use of black-and-white furniture highlights the displayed works, while windows and sounds evoke contemplation about whether we are looking out at nature or into our human world. Collaborating with the museum, taxidermy and visual identity elements further enhance the narrative, prompting visitors to reflect on their coexistence with nature. I am glad that the final exhibition space closely resembled our intended design, and I am happy if you had the chance to see this temporary exhibition in the flesh.
A group project by Leon Pereira and Jocelyn Tan Xin Yee Under the guidance of Design Incubation Center Platform leader | The Nature of Things Division of Industrial Design, National University of Singapore