The State Of The Arts <Poll>
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Hi people,
Just want to know what you guys and gals think of the subject.
"Is Content regulation and censorship hindering artist expressionism in Singapore?" (In context to performing arts)
Please click on link to poll.
http://interactives.alxnet.com/cgi-bin/slither/Driver.py/InterActives/Poll/Poll.render?poll_id=332
Or post replies on what you feel on this subject.
Thanks a million.
Dean -
So far, it is 100% at : Yes, it should be eased up...
Number of votes: 1 (by sgboy2004)
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yes to tt question.
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count me inOriginally posted by sgboy2004:So far, it is 100% at : Yes, it should be eased up...
Number of votes: 1 (by sgboy2004) -
Just want to know why you guys feel so?
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It's like me giving you a limited vocabulary to write a 5000-word essay on your opinion of the state of politics in Singapore...Originally posted by Deanluah:Just want to know why you guys feel so?
With restrictions, yes no doubt artistic expression will be limited in a way. But the limitations on expressions can also bring about a higher quality... I mean, if I just give you an egg and some seasoning and then ask you to whip up a dish only fit for gourmets, sooner or later after many tries there'll be one that's really..
erm, I mean, you get the drift.
my intellectual ability is way too low for proper expression of views.
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Yes I understand your grounds Mooku. Thank you for your opinions.
The Censorship Review Board, headed by Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan is established early last year. They have established some guidelines in regards to content and material suitable for the general public's viewing. They are obvious guidelines, (public nudity; Think Hugo Ng and his shaving of his pubic hair and drinking his urine) and bestiality... etc. )
However, no proper regulations are established on "suitable or non suitable" content. Material is still subjected to cuts or complete censor if deemed inappropriate.
They have established guideline, like ratings for entertaintment. (18+ viewership) because they have stated that censorship is a protection for the youths. So how then are we able to say (or them) that a certain material is not appropriate?
Forgive me if I have have stated things which may be falseible. This is an open discussion in which I am genuinely interested in your responses.
Thanks again -
The answer is so obvious/
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Art(s) cannot be defined.
If you can put a definition to "Art", then it is not Art anymore. -
err well... artistic expression should never be done in the public eye if it's deemed offensive by asian society e.g. nudity along orchard road...
Who are to judge if material is suitable for public viewing or not.. Maybe in the case of censorship of materials such as films or art exhibitions, regulations should be loosened alot more since it's mostly up to personal self to decide if you want to view the material or not.
Otherwise for materials that the public may be exposed to involuntarily, these should undergo some form of control... -
count me in too.Originally posted by MooKu:count me in
Think it's hard to do arts here in singapore cause not many people appreciate what you do and there's always laws and rules which restrict what you wanna express. -
Very well said Mooku.
The question can now be reinterpretated as. To what extent should censorship be enforced? True enough that censorship is to protect people from general viewing. I am trying to find out if there are performances which are are rated but yet barred from to show. Anyone knows any relating articles? -
mmm true... the majority is not 'cultured' enough to appreciate the arts...Originally posted by Bochupi:count me in too.
Think it's hard to do arts here in singapore cause not many people appreciate what you do and there's always laws and rules which restrict what you wanna express.
in other countries, events such as going for art exhibitions or music concerts are a frequent occurence in the average working person's day.. but in Singapore, majority doesn't even go for one concert in 6 months.
Lifestyle has alot to do with this... I mean, well we've got longer working hours.... -
hehe, still can remember some article showing what people do to those art on display in singapore. Some like the art too much that they steal some part of it home, while some actually vandalise it. who dare to show their precious art when things like that happen.
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Just want to know, to all whom have polled as "Yes and it should remain this way" and "Yes and its shoud be eased up", why do you feel this way? Care to explain the rationality behind the response?
Thanks once and again.
Dean -
as i have mentioned many times in old threads.......we can have world-class infrastructure, but our ppl are not taught or instilled to support and appreciate Arts (performing and still)
oso.....the ticket pricings made it so like oni the rich can afford..... -
Hello Fireice
And how are we to change this. Pardon me if I didn't make myself clear. If we say that we are being restricted, can someopne please tell me how have we been restrcited or not restricted. I am not taking sides at all but I just want to know.
This question was. For those whom said yes, what is the rational behind it.
Dean[/quote] -
I'm not an expert in art. But at times, arts thread on the fine line between beautiful art and pornography. If the censors are to be less stringent, then parents must take responsibility to guide their children. If things go wrong, please don't go finger-pointing at the censors for not doing their job.
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I noted two audiences in arts, local or otherwise:
1) Educated / Modernized young and old
2) Un-educated / not so literate young and old
Then, there are these to consider:
1) Traditional Races ( Chinese educated, and all the other races )
2) Conservatives who do not understand Arts, let alone appreciate, and who are influential and highly affluent who will complain about anything that's not to their taste.
3) The obvious and prevailing lack of freedom of expression in Singapore.
In Singapore, people are 80% of their time caught up in making a living to meet monthly bills and commitments, while the young are bogged down with our education system. Unlike in the US, a street musician can put any of our local hotshots to shame.
I say; Long long way to go, on Arts in SG. We don't have the time to spend 8 hours a day practicing. We can't afford to be like them. And all that I see or hear of local musicians are at best mirror copies of our American or UK counterparts. What orginality? What creativity? Where's the art? -
My views?? It's not so much content censorship and regulation that has hindered artistic expressionism but rather, the lack of support and sponsorship.
In Singapore, the regulations on art performances is limited to the annual submission of scripts to (was it MITA?? or NAC?? can't recall) the authorities for approval before performance and this has been extended to once in 3 years instead of annually in the lates censorship review committee report. The reason for this regulation to be in place is so that we can sift the obscene acts from the artistic ones. Remember the incident where a guy snipped his pubic hair in public and drank urine? If Beatrice Chia's production with the title f*cking & shopping can be put up and even win awards, i don't see a problem in regulations placed on artistic expression.
The arts arena in Singapore takes a super long time to grow and in some cases, arts organisations sputter out of life and died because of the lack of support from local community and sponsorship. It's a natural bias that exists in Singaporeans that anything foreign is good but local productions are deemed poor. Just look at and compare the ticket sales of productions like Les Miserables with local musicals / plays. While international acts have the standards and garner almost 100% attendance for all their shows, good-quality local productions are considered lucky if they could score a 60% and above attendance on weekend shows.
Given this kind of unsupportive, Pinkleton-syndrome type of environment, can you blame the arts community for losing enthusiasm and creativity in artistic expression?