Date: 30 Aug 97 Originally Posted On: soc.culture.singapore

OVERHEARD ALONG THE SUPER INFORMATION HIGHWAY ONE DAY

CENSORED.

Those million dollar men still don't get it, do they?

They want to develop S'pore into a (what? with only 32 year national history) Renaissance city for info, culture and arts.

They wanna make a Manhattan in S'pore. They want art to florish. They wanna culture to develop.

CENSORED.  One question. If I specialized in painting erotic nudie oil on canvas (I mean thoze X-XXX type as a topic of art) and intend to hold an exhibition, will I be approved or will I be nabbed? Next question. If I can talk cock and make jokes for a living like thoze at the Improv. Can I stand at a street corner to entertain passerby for tips without being jailed for illegal soliciting? How abt this for the fun of it?

CENSORED, will SAM allow exhibiting it? Forget about the rest of the questions. Last question. If I am a down and out but a promising budding artist, where do I get the money to RENT (Ohmegosh, they want my last penny too) a gallery from S'pore Art Museum (they call it SAM) and who pays for my publicity campaign? FYI, France has a national programme to support their artist financially. Guggenhiem Museum and Museum For Modern Arts in NY not only curate art from anyone they deem good enuf for exhibition but also supports them financially. What kind of art funding is available to the individuals who want to pursue art as a profession?

There's 2 big hard cover book on sale at MPH titled "Singapore Artist" or something which details thoze local artist whose art are already recognised and promoted. Are those the only people SAM is taking care of. The rich and famous, that is. That book isn't very thick either by national std if it eccompasses all the artist it's promoting. Frankly I've seen better artworks from Poly and La Salle students not forgetting those in the art streams in Secondary schools, which over time seem to have gone under their bed to seek a career of their academic studies rather than exhibited and promoted. And then those photographers leh? S'pore is not short of exceptional photographic talents.

Alamak. How to promote art and culture if simple questions like above are not answered and not given an avenue to express?

CENSORED.