VICE Asia Presents: The 'Legal' Street Art of Singapore & My Own Impressions of Street Art in SG
In "The 'Legal' Street Art of Singapore" by VICE Asia, graffiti crew RSCLS and muralist Yip Yew Chong take us through Singapore neighbourhoods. The viewer gets to visit some iconic walls, discuss Singapore’s vandalism laws, and life as an artist in Singapore.
- Click here to view RSCLS on Facebook
- Click HERE to view coverage of RSCLS on TOYSREVIL!
To the general public outside and perhaps within Singapore's shores, two specific "graffiti" stories folks might be most familiar with, are (A) Michael Fay caning, and (2) "My Grandfather Road".
American Michael Fay was sentenced to six strokes of the cane in Singapore for theft and vandalism at age 18. He was charged to have spray-painted/vandalized parked vehicles. The word "graffiti" had since been synonymous with negativity in the public eye ever since.
"Bill Clinton, the President of the United States, called Fay's punishment extreme and mistaken, and pressured the Singapore government to grant Fay clemency from caning.
Ong Teng Cheong, the then head of state of Singapore, commuted Fay's caning from six to four strokes as a gesture of respect toward President Clinton. Fay was caned on May 5, 1994, at Queenstown Remand Centre." (Wiki)
Local contemporary artist Samantha Lo "was arrested for spray painting the words "My Grandfather Road" on Maxwell Road and Robinson Road in 2012. Her arrest by the police for vandalism sparked an outcry online on whether it was a work of art or vandalism. She was later charged for mischief and sentenced to 240 hours of community service in 2013." (Wiki).
The lovely continuation of this story, was that she managed to officially write "My Grandfather Road" cross the 170 meter long Circular Road, as part of a non-profit art organization event by @Hyphenarts, in 2016.
The fact that street / urban art is known because of its "infamy", and not due to public international recognition, is cause for head-shaking and understandably the struggles of the artists involved in the scene and community (Not that I am a struggling artist in any way, shape or form). Or perhaps our
But you also should consider that, once "graffiti" is fully-accepted by the government and general public, the uniqueness and spirit of the culture, might also be altered. I remembered the early days when indie bands played at small gigs, but once they sign with a major label, folks start calling them "sell-outs"? What is wrong with "development"? What is our preoccupation with the "underdogs"? Don't give them du when they are struggling? Once they "succeed", folks give them sh*t for it? LOL
There is also a not-as-murky-divide between "aesthetically acceptable" versus "politically overt", as far as I am personally concerned, so practitioners can choose to present their work, and for folks to decipher. Without a video feature such as this, with the artists explaining their work, would we have any idea otherwise? While folks might cry "lack of freedom of expression", perhaps I'd like to offer instead an option of "palpable presentation"? Ever the outsider looking in, of course :p
I am just glad we HAVE the opportunity to view and enjoy these - be it online, or in-person, in our island state.
