Is Art Truly Important to Singapore’s National Identity?

Philanthropist and founder of Mei’s Own Rebecca Eu talks to local artists and leaders to find out that being creative is truly a matter of (he)art

While we precariously ease into a more open and social Singapore, I can’t help but reflect on the different ways in which this past year and a half have changed me. The relentlessness of the ongoing global pandemic and each government struggling to contain or simply ignore its presence makes me grateful that this is home.

In this time, I’ve spent it reeducating myself on what it means to be Singaporean and what we, as a society, can do better. I’ve been gathering stories from all walks of life here in Singapore, trying to understand what I’ve missed in the last six years that I’ve been away from home. Generally, the conversation shifts between an underlying frustration at society’s traditional expectations of success, to a hope that things will get better “one day”. This led me to question what being Singaporean really meant. Can our national identity simply be reduced to material wealth and grades on paper? And, isn’t there something missing?

Above Photo: Getty Images

In any civilisation’s golden age, it has been noticed that science and art often flourished simultaneously. Similarly, I would argue that Singapore—for all its imperfections—is in an exciting, thriving age of its own. I’ve observed that to the rest of the world, we are every bit a Smart Nation, with a technologically-advanced population, incredible infrastructure, and a growing commitment towards sustainability.

But what of the other half of the equation in a golden age: art?

To me, the construction of a national identity takes creativity and storytelling—it is a matter of art, too. Artists are 100 per cent essential to our society—they are constantly innovating, pushing boundaries and approaching everyday subjects from a fresh, creative perspective, and, in the process, help to build and bolster our national identity. On my quest to discover more about Singapore’s artistic identity and why it is so important in society, I turned to some of our local artists and leaders to figure out the answers.

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Local artists and muralists, Liquan Liew and Estella Ng, better known as Ripple Root, are the artistic duo responsible for literally painting the town red, yellow, blue, and almost every colour imaginable. Their marvellous murals can be found almost everywhere in Singapore, from Keong Saik to Cuppage. But it was not always this way, and the pair had to struggle to put their distinct stamp on Singapore, as it were, right from the start of their artistic careers.

“At the beginning, we had to defend and explain our art more thoroughly, and we did wonder how we’d feed ourselves,” they said, no doubt because being an artist at that time was—and still is—considered an “unconventional” career. “But somehow through word-of-mouth and the support of like-minded folk, the work and projects came in, and we continue to keep at what we do.”

Liew and Ng are just one example of many in the creative industry, and I can’t help but feel that our community still struggles to nurture creative thinking. Singapore may identify as one of the most technologically advanced societies in the world, yet we hesitate to encourage a career as an artist. It’s not that we don’t recognise it—I feel it may be that society still sees creative expression as a weakness, rather than an asset. Just see last year’s furore over the Sunday Times’ poll showing that being an artist came in at the top of non-essential jobs to get an idea of the Singapore artist’s placement on the proverbial food chain here.

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Beyond being a viable career, being creative is also another way to embrace our differences and build a community, as I learn from Victor Ong, creative director of The Art Faculty (TAF) Singapore. TAF provides a livelihood program through art for Singaporeans with special needs.

When asked about why he decided to dedicate his time to this project, Ong said, “I have had the privilege to be included by the artists and the team [in nurturing their work]. We all share the same ‘why’: our special needs folks deserve dignity, because being different doesn’t mean lesser.”

It is the charity’s mandate to embolden the individuals in their program as talented artists in their own right and cultivate their creative careers through the Artist Development Programme (ADP). Situated in the Enabling Village, TAF provides a safe space for close to 60 artists to date, helping them earn royalties through the sale of merchandise boasting their designs. One particularly heartening incident took place in 2016, when Ho Ching, accompanying Singapore prime minister Lee Hsien Loong on an official visit to the United States, carried a pouch with a dinosaur motif created by an artist in the ADP. It sold out at TAF not long after, making the artist an instant star.

It just goes to show how empowering creativity can be in a society—so it is crucial that it is protected and nurtured, so that it can present more opportunities for everyone.

To that end, creativity is something we must invest in, and our common goal should be to celebrate it. Artists like Ripple Root are a success today because people chose to invest in their work. Liew and Ng put it best when they told me, “Art doesn’t have to be overly complex—it can reverberate from the smallest of places and touch anyone when they least expect it. And with the way our world is these days, we all need some of it.”

While we continue this conversation about creativity and its importance to us on a national level, we must redefine what it means to be “successful” in our Singaporean society. We are all different. We are all great.

It is my hope that we see how much it is our privilege and purpose to provide a future for individuals to believe that their creativity just may be the most valuable part of our tapestry called Singapore.

Happy 56th birthday.

I am dedicating this space to Singaporeans that we need to hear more from. Here’s where you can find them:

RIPPLEROOT

Website: www.rippleroot.com
Instagram: @rippleroot

THE ART FACULTY

FLAGSHIP STORE, GALLERY & CAFE
Enabling Village
20 Lengkok Bahru, #01-07, Singapore 159053
Monday to Saturday: 10am to 6pm (Closed on Sunday & Public Holidays)
Website: www.theartfaculty.sg
Telephone: +65 6513 0706
Instagram: @TheArtFacultySg
Facebook: facebook.com/TheArtFaculty

Rebecca Eu is a philanthropist and founder of Mei’s Own, a Singapore-based, non-profit social enterprise founded in 2019 that works with local artisans in the Philippines to create home and lifestyle products. The proceeds support education and vocational opportunities for survivors of sex trafficking in the Philippines. Follow her on Instagram at @becseu.

Topics

Art Singapore Rebecca Eu The Art Faculty Singapore Enabling Village Ripple Root Singapore artists

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Is Art Truly Important to Singapore’s National Identity?