SINGAPORE: Controversy and art go hand-in-hand, said Information, Communications and the Arts Minister Lee Boon Yang, who spoke to reporters at the opening of the Singapore Art Show on Thursday evening.

In fact, he said, controversy would get people interested in the artworks.

Dr Lee said this when he was asked to comment about the incident whereby a video by Singaporean artist Lynn Lu was removed from the Art Show because it was deemed to be too similar to a piece created by an American artist, Jason Mortara.

The Singapore Art Show, which is being held for the second time after its inaugural show in 2005, allows local artists to gain recognition for their works.

Touring the gallery at the Singapore Art Museum, Dr Lee acknowledged that the Art Show encountered initial problems, but such hiccups were expected.

He said: "I can't imagine an arts event of the scale of the Singapore Art Show going off without any controversy. In fact, I'll be very, very surprised."

Dr Lee said the Singapore Art Show is the largest of its kind here and it is also a national platform for locals to showcase their artistic talents.

He hopes these works will get people to talk about art.

The minister said: "It's to stimulate people to begin to think and to ask questions about art and in the process of searching for an answer, they'll come to a better understanding of what art is. They'll also understand for themselves, their own perception of the arts."

Dr Lee added that the Singapore Art Show should be kept separate from the Singapore Biennale because both have different objectives.

He said: "The biennale is an effort to connect Singapore with international contemporary art, so the biennale has a greater international dimension, whereas the Singapore Art Show is very focused on Singapore Art. I think both events complement each other very well."

Dr Lee said the arts scene here is gaining momentum, compared to how it was five years ago.

And he is optimistic that with one out of every three Singaporeans participating in at least one arts and cultural activity a year, this industry is set to develop further.


- CNA/so