Peter Schoppert's blog

http://www.singaporememory.sg/showcases/20/contents

Debbie Ding is an artist, designer, technologist but above all, psychogeographer (and as such her work is highly relevant to publicart.sg). Tan Pin Pin is a filmmaker with a strong interest in landscape and the particular ways that individuals express themselves in Singapore. She's made a film (for the NLB's SingaporeMemory project) about Debbie's work, recording the works of the Yangtze Scribbler, a graffiti artist, loonie bird, translator of messages from the infinite beyond, maker of signs. It's a great documentation of an important film institution as well. Must see! Free online!

HEY, WHO MOVED MY SCULPTURE?

Artists are irked that they aren’t informed when their public art pieces are moved. By Amelia Tan and Neo Wen Tong.

Even without a trace on publicart.sg? Jeffrey, do let us know if there are any works that have disappeared without leaving a trace on these pages, and we'll update them. (It's true that we haven't put the Lim Nang Seng Dancing Lady up yet... but it *is* listed on our to-do list...

Straits Times, Forum Page, Jun 15, 2011

PRESERVING HERITAGE
Treat sculptures with greater care

I WAS disappointed to read that sculptor Chua Boon Kee was asked to relocate his stainless steel sculptures near Clementi Mall because of concern that the metal could potentially burn people ('Open-air sculptures feel the heat'; last Wednesday).

This raises the larger issue of our attitude towards and regard for public sculptures.

A public sculpture is created to be in dialogue with the site and the environment. Relocating a sculpture compromises both the intent of the artist and the integrity of the work.

Mr Chua was understandably 'unhappy' at the request to move his sculptures to a 'shadier area' as it would disrupt the aesthetic cohesion of the sculptures.

Public sculptures are meant to be seen and enjoyed. In the case of Mr Chua's sculptures, an advisory could have been put up to allay safety concerns.

My own research has found that a substantial number of public sculptures - from the pre-war period to the 1970s - simply disappeared without any trace, especially when a site or old building had to make way for a new development. Even sculptures done in the 1980s and later are now untraceable after being moved from their original locations.

Not too long ago, I was taken to view a long-forgotten sculpture in Tiong Bahru estate. The sculpture, titled Dancing Lady, was created by the late Lim Nang Seng, who also sculpted the Merlion. I realised that the sculpture had acquired a resonance among residents in the area.

Indeed, beyond their aesthetic and decorative value, public sculptures can be a source of civic and communal pride and identity.

I hope our existing and future public sculptures will be seen in this light and treated with more care and dignity. They are part of our artistic heritage.

Jeffrey Say

Check out the letter "Why not liven up MRT cabins legally" by Yee Jenn Jong.

They are certainly on the borderline... fulfilling many of the functions of public art, in particular their ability to evoke and enhance a sense of place. And of course the move towards functionality and providing pleasure to the public has always been an important pull on public art. Many public artists have designed their work specifically for children's play.  In this case, by working specifically to incorporate local imagery, the designers of these playground amenities moved in the direction of public art as well.

And certainly these tiled pieces show a much better sense of design than the many hideous decorative gateways that adorn our HDB estates and are meant to give a sense of place and local identity to individual areas within estates.

 
Excellent article from Justin Zhuang.

We've been pretty hard on some of NParks' new acquisitions, so it's a pleasure to relate news of what looks like an interesting and thoughtful show at the Singapore Botanic Gardens, called Nature Borne. The exhibition features works from five Singaporean and five Korean artists.

CNA has a write up and a link to a video (they don't allow us to embed or even perma-link the video unfortunately...). The video features interview with Korea's Lee Soo Hong and Singapore's Michael Lee. I haven't been able to see a full list of participating artists, but other Singaporeans include Jason Lim, Jason Wee, and Vertical Submarine.

I'm looking forward to checking it out, and here's hoping this heralds a more positive approach to public art from NParks.