Deep Dive Podcast: Smoking samsui woman mural saga - How much sway does the public have on artwork?
An artist can never please everyone, so they need to be prepared to defend their work, says our podcast guest.
.jpg?itok=_PIPxVvt "Deep Dive Podcast: Smoking samsui woman mural saga - How much sway does the public have on artwork?")
CNA's weekly news podcast takes a deep dive into issues that people talk about at dining tables and along the office corridors. Hosted by Steven Chia and Crispina Robert.
When artist Belinda Low was commissioned to create a mural of Mr Lee Kuan Yew at the Tekka Centre, she didn't anticipate the intense scrutiny that would follow.
Under the careful assessment of various stakeholders, it took two months of evaluation before the project finally got the green light. Portraits of politicians, much less that of Singapore's founding prime minister, had to be treated with a great deal of care.
During the next few months, Ms Low worked under a large tent, erected to shield her artwork from curious passersby. It was very different from her usual experience, where the public can witness each stage of the painting unfold.
On the Deep Dive podcast, Ms Low shared that in Singapore, navigating the rules and requirements of multiple stakeholders is par for the course. But this doesn't stop artists from creating valuable and meaningful works which give joy to living in the city.
Â
In June, a mural of a young samsui woman smoking led to weeks of discussion about the artwork and the approval process.Â
When it comes to public art, how can artists balance creativity and regulation? Steven Chia and Crispina Robert chat with Audrey Wong, a programme leader at LASALLE College of the Arts, and artist Belinda Low.
Here's an excerpt from the podcast:Â
Steven Chia:
Belinda, do you feel as an artist, sometimes it's hard to push the boundaries because art is supposed to get people thinking, asking questions ...
Crispina Robert:
And good art tends to be controversial a little bit, right?
Belinda Low:
Sometimes when you're painting on a wall, and you get people passing by and they say, "Oh, it's very nice" ... and they like it, so you know that you are going the right direction.
Steven:
But what if they stop you and say, "Why are you painting this? I don't like it." That is also a discussion where you get to explain why.
Belinda:
For example, if you're painting a heritage wall, and they can relate to it because that place demographically, there are a lot of old people, so it brings that memory. So you have to paint whatever is appropriate for that person, for that place. The basis is, I am not painting for myself, per se.
Firstly, is because of passion. Yes, I love to create.Â
But ... you must put yourselves in the shoes of the people or the person interacting (with the wall). When they look at the wall, how do they feel?
Steven:
Fair point. If you are in a public space, you're painting for the community in that area. Whereas if you're going to put it in a museum for your own special exhibition, then you can kind of do whatever you want.
Audrey Wong:
The definition of public art is where the artist's imagination ... interacts with (the) space in which the art is being put, which includes the environment, the particular features of the environment, and the history of the environment, as well as the people who live there.
