Hunched over the Review Section of Straits Times during lunch hour, I was engrossed with the article "The Writing's On The Wall". It touched on an English cult graffitist, known as Banksy, who has never been identified. His work can be found here. The article discussed how public art confers life, character and personality to our surroundings allowing people to better identify with the physical environment. (Full article can be found on page 22 of the main section of the Straits Times, 23rd April 2008)
The article calls to mind several discussions I have had with my peers on different occasions on how 'ugly' modern Singapore is. Our main bone of contention was that Singapore was developing at the sacrifice of cultural and historical fabric. We do not feel any metaphysical connection to our physical environment as changes are occuring so rapidly that we barely have sufficient time to familiarise ourselves with the layout, let alone develop any connections.
We live in a giant sterile laboratory. Infrastructure are developed at maximum speed, minimum cost and with absolutely zero heed to the aesthetic appeal and compatibilty with the surroundings. It is no big wonder that Singaporeans flog overseas in search of places where there is a history and culture worth speaking of, where the pace of life is slow enough to allow for lateral growth. It is not that we are unable to keep up. There is just simply no point in running this rat's race when we can live but a few decades.
Rats racing in the lab - ultimately, still trapped within a cloistered, controlled environment.
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Much of it can be attributed to our incessant pursuit of the almighty dollar. Our entire culture has always been driven by economic ventures from the time Raffles first set foot in Singapore. Our pre-ordained stature as the centre of major trade routes perpetuates this mindset and I doubt we will ever change.
ReplyDeleteBut I hope in time, as our society matures, that we do not forsake our moralities as I believe this is what will shape a better society ... culturally, historically and most importantly, compassionately.
I believe, the point was not so much on moralities, but rather the loss of cultural and historical fabric as we cease to identify closely with our environment - that is, we do not feel anything more for the infrastructure (both old and new) around us.
ReplyDeleteAn example that we will probably be abled to identify with is the new use that Clifford Pier is being put to - YET another lifestyle space of pubs and restaurants. Wow! I'm so excited! "A public space, be it some form of walkthrough gallery or a museum, to celebrate the seafaring days of yore on what was once Singapore's southern shore before reclamation devoured the sea, would have been a more tasteful ode to one of the totems of the 1930s local Art Deco architecture. " Decofabulous by Ramesh Williams The writer couldn't have phrased my thoughts more succinctly.