What role does art play within our Singaporean lives?
Srishty Bhavsar, Pinterest
When was the last time art held value to you?
Was it when you were strolling through the latest exhibition, beholding the different artworks at the National Gallery Singapore? Oh, perhaps way back when art class was still a core subject for you in lower secondary?
Or… never?
The meaning of art in society, and its importance, is widely subjective. I’d say that is especially true for our little red dot. Singapore is recognised as one of the top financial hubs internationally; having developed a world-class education system; and being a food haven.
However, there is one aspect that our nation cannot seem to gain much recognition for, even locally: our arts scene.
Art in Singapore
From the Georgette Chen: At Home in the World exhibition to the Singapore Biennale, local art has been heavily emphasised and promoted in the past decade in an effort to encourage and develop appreciation for the arts in Singaporeans.
In the National Arts Council’s annual Population Survey on The Arts 2023, more than three-quarters of Singaporeans surveyed agreed that the arts is important to the identity of our society and country, as well as to cultivate conversations and understanding between generations. Why, then, are our artists still battling with being undervalued and, often, misunderstood?
National Gallery Singapore | Promotional website banner for the ‘Georgette Chen: At Home in the World’ exhibition which features Chen’s oil painting ‘Malay Wedding’, c. 1962.
Back to the point of how art is subjective in and of itself, there are many possible explanations to this. Differing opinions on the significance of art lead some to dismiss it as unimportant, especially when looking at its impact on a society’s economic status.
A key example of this is Singapore’s perception of the significance of ‘artists’ amidst COVID-19. In the 2020 The Sunday Times survey, 71% of respondents believed that the job of artists is the most non-essential in our society.
Although the 2020 survey is relatively dated, I think this belief still persists. At its core, our nation emphasises on productivity.
Despite art being a compulsory subject in Singapore’s primary and lower secondary education, its importance has been undermined time and time again. Growing up, it was common to hear the parents of my peers’ chiding them to study harder for a ‘respectable’ career like being a doctor or a lawyer; not an artist.
Moving up into tertiary studies, we are taught to believe that efficiency and productivity are the bedrock of our economy; and what can be quantitatively assessed like in maths and science, usually triumphs over qualitative attributes like creativity.
In truth, many artists are freelancers who take on several jobs and projects that provide them with multiple sources of income.
Moreover, as Sonny Liew, a graphic novelist interviewed by The Straits Times about the survey results, puts it, “Respondents had probably thought too narrowly about what art was and forgotten about the materials they consume, such as books, movies, TV shows, music, games and infographics,” all of which are high revenue-generating industries.
Another possible reason for the arts being undervalued in Singapore may lie in our underlying cultural values.
Our nation has been evaluated to be well-balanced between the masculine-feminine (MAS) dimension and low on the individualism-collectivism (IDV) dimension of Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory. This theory helps us understand the social norms that mould a culture through six different dimensions. The MAS dimension measures the extent to which a society emphasises achievement or nurturance, and the IDV dimension measures the extent to which a society values the individual over the collective.
iEduNote.com | Hofstede’s 6 Cultural Dimensions Theory.
Being in the middle of the MAS dimension means that Singaporeans are equally achievement- and relationship-oriented, striving to achieve awards and honours while cherishing interpersonal relationships and harmony.
As a whole, being low on the IDV dimension indicates that we are collectivistic, placing the collective good of our society above our individual goals. But might this observation of Singapore be just a façade?
In the case of 31-year-old local artist Priyageetha Dia, her artwork The Golden Staircase in 2017 ignited heated debate amongst Singaporeans.
As a LASELLE fine arts student then, she had covered the staircase of her HDB block with gold foil for her final-year project, creating a juxtaposition against an everyday space while paying homage to her family’s heritage of goldsmithing.
Priyageetha Dia | The Golden Staircase in 2017, a gold-foiled staircase at her HDB block, caused public backlash as some saw it as vandalism.
What was initially a well-intentioned final-year project turned into an unexpected living nightmare. Dia’s artwork was misinterpreted as vandalism by many Singaporeans, with some going as far as to question her ‘real’ intentions.
Without a second thought, these enraged netizens were labelling Dia as a “troublemaker” and a “snake” who “didn’t care about others” living in HDB estates.
Unsurprisingly, this came as a shock to her, being a 24-year-old student. Dia shared with CNA Women in an article featuring her journey as an artist, “It felt as if the whole country was making all sorts of assumptions about me. Not many bothered to understand where this young artist was coming from.”
She also added, “There was also a lot of hostile racism and sexism in the comments on articles that discussed the staircase, and even my mum was scared for me.”
In stark contrast to these vicious reactions, it is ironic that Singapore has a collectivistic image, valuing social cohesion, harmony, and interpersonal respect regardless of one’s beliefs and background.
Evidently, this gap between the perception of our societal values versus the reality of our behaviours demonstrates how our local artists are not only undervalued for their work, but also as a person.
I want to remind us that art is many things – not just a means to express emotions. As Aristotle wrote in The Poetics, “The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.”
Art is an instrument for communicating ideas; it is a thought-provoking tool; it is a therapeutic refuge; and it is a simple way to appreciate the beauty of life.
With art, we can chronicle history, encapsulate societal values and learn about one another’s diverse heritages and lifestyles. Art is a cultural ambassador and an invaluable way to foster unity and achieve actual – not perceived – harmony, which I believe is especially crucial to our culturally heterogeneous Singapore.
A Re-evaluation of Perspective
Perhaps now is the time for us to collectively take a step back and reevaluate our perception and attitude towards the arts and our local arts scene.
We need to see through the eyes of our artists and realise the effort in months, or even years, of research and preparation they do to convey a message about their identity, experiences, or social commentary through their art.
We need to remember that art is subjective, symbolic, and culturally influenced – as much as we can form our own opinions, we should learn to understand and respect the viewpoints of others, which includes the intentions of artists.
We need to uproot our current systemic beliefs and stereotypes and update our values to better reflect the impact that the arts and culture has on our society.
In this way, we can take a step closer to truly cultivating a harmonious and nurturing Singapore.
Let us embrace art and support our local artists like Dia – they, too, are essential workers who value-add to our economy – and hopefully then, will our local arts scene gain the recognition and respect it deserves.
P.S. As an art hobbyist (and not an expert), I’m just here to add some colour and, hopefully, paint a new layer of perspective to your relationship with art. And as a Singaporean who feels blessed to be in such a safe and open-minded country, I think we can do more to create an even safer and comfortable space for everyone living on this little red dot!
Check out these articles if you would like to find out more about this topic:
Ang, P., and Kiew, C. (2020). Artists defend value of creative work to society after survey sparks debate. The Straits Times. https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/artists-defend-value-of-creative-work-to-society-after-survey-sparks-debate
InkMyPapers. (n.d.). Hofstede Cultural Dimensions: Singapore, the Unique Cultural Hub. https://inkmypapers.sg/hofstede-cultural-dimensions-singapore/
National Arts Council. (2024). Population Survey on The Arts 2023. https://www.nac.gov.sg/resources/research/population-survey--on-the-arts/overview-of-population-survey-on-the-arts
National Gallery Singapore. (n.d.). Georgette Chen: At Home In The World | National Gallery Singapore. https://www.nationalgallery.sg/georgettechen
Rahman, I., (2024, January 19). The Singaporean artist who once turned an HDB staircase gold continues to highlight social issues through her art. Channel News Asia Lifestyle. https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/women/priyageetha-dia-artist-singapore-art-week-2024-383386
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