Articles | 2008 - 2010

ART & CULTURE

Graffiti as art, not vandalism in schoolsBY FARAH ELIAS21 October 2008

On a typical Friday afternoon at East Coast Park, eight girls and two boys from Chung Cheng High Main with a spray can in hand and face mask to boot went into a frenzy to create the best graffiti art they could master.

Two hours and 10 empty spray cans later, the 15-year-olds complete their graffiti titled “Friendship Bonds”; a double door-sized image of covalent bonds of diamonds morphing into a gaggle of geese flying towards two girls depicted in the piece.

Not only is their graffiti legal but the team won the second prize in the Graffiti Xpressions competition, commissioned by the South East CDC to mark National Day this year. Competing against 11 other schools, students from Chung Cheng High Main chose to fuse chemistry with art to express the theme “Friendship without Boundaries.”

Although widely seen as vandalism, graffiti art is all the rage now amongst youths who are attracted to its street style. With graffiti art gaining popularity, more secondary schools are catering to students’ interest by inviting local graffiti artists to conduct workshops in schools.

“Graffiti art has always been energetic in its application and it definitely has its mystic and intrigue as it is always associated with politics and vandalism,” said Mr Zul Othman, 29, a graffiti artist who goes by the name of Zero.

Mr Kamal Dollah, 41, a Singaporean artist and art teacher, thinks that the internet is partly responsible for this global revolution as “there are a lot of avenues for artists to show their work.”

“The interest is there all the time, its just that now there is a credible team of practicing artists who are qualified educators (like us), who are able to guide students in schools,” said Mr Dollah who has been in the local arts scene for 15 years.

“An essential part of the workshop deals with responsibility - knowing the difference between art and crime such as vandalism,” added the artist who has taught students from Manjusri, Teck Whye and Outram Secondary School amongst others.

Local graffiti artist, Mazlan Ahmad, 32, also known as Scope One, said that at a typical workshop students are first introduced to the history of the movement and basic theory about what graffiti fundamentally represents. They are then taught basic letterings and techniques to produce graffiti with a spray can.

Students from Chung Cheng High Main who signed up for the workshop and went on to participate in the competition said they were drawn to the unique art form and wanted to try something they had never done in school before.

“When Scope came and demonstrated it to us, it seemed so easy. Like all you have to do is spray and the image forms easily but in fact, it was quite hard,” said secondary three student Huam Wen Yuan, 15.

Fifteen-year-old Ho Yan Yan, who met up with her team four times to prepare for the competition said: “The spray paint is difficult to control. You really have to practice a lot and prepare beforehand because for beginners like us, you have to use stencils which take a long time to make.”

Art teacher Grace Cheng, 24, who invited Scope One to conduct a workshop at

her school, was influenced by friends who are graffiti artists and Banksy’s – internationally renowned British street artist – works.

“The students enjoyed it although they were not art students. Graffiti art really generated their interest in art and they have a newfound passion for it,” said Ms Cheng.

Mr Dollah said that like most art forms, graffiti is also a craft that requires very high discipline and many hours of practice to be good at it.

 

ART & CULTURE

“Most writers (term for graffiti artists) are self-taught and it takes a long time to learn proper techniques. Having an instructor with proper programmes means that they don’t have to go through a long learning curve and they learn the right stuff fast,” he added.

“It’s always nice to see them engaging in something they are really curious and interested in and be proud of their own product,” said Luthfi Mustafa, 29, creator of The Killer Gerbil.

  But Zero, who occasionally conducts stencil graffiti workshops, does not think that there is an increased interest in the art form.

“Graffiti is gaining recognition but not necessarily in a meteoric kind of way. A lot of things in Singapore are heavily based on trends. Even art,” he said.

“But like any trend, it will slowly phase out. It’s coming soon.”

Art teacher Grace Cheng, 24, and students of Chung Cheng High Main pose with their completed artwork at East Coast Park. PHOTO | COURTESY

ART & CULTURE

The times they are a-changin’ for Singapore music

Singaporeans pride themselves on their knowledge of local food but questions about the local music scene will often invite odd looks of perplexity.

Local music is not viewed on par with other well-known aspects of Singaporean culture, such as the diverse local cuisine and pervasive use of Singlish, the colloquial English.

But Mr Timothy De Cotta, 24, an undergraduate and bass guitarist of local hip-hop act SIXX, has faith that his band is in a position to change the way Singapore music is viewed.

The group, which got together three years ago, has played at bars and numerous events such as Roktober! at Timbre @ The Substation, Beats and Breaks at Esplanade by the Bay, and the Sunburst Music Festival in Kuala Lumpur.

In addition, having an online presence is crucial for a rising band to gain reach as “hits determine the demand for your sound and that demand can physically manifest itself in the form of gig offers, and with that, income,” he said.

“Being a full time musician never used to be a viable option here, but all that is changing. Now, spending time to perfect your artistry does pay off as people will pay for quality music,” he said.

However, bands like Sixx are still the exception rather than the norm in Singapore. Today, more youths are aware of local bands and support them, but the change is slow.

Mr Kevin Mathews, local singer-songwriter and musician of more than 20

years, thinks that for many Singaporeans, entertainment and culture still belong to the lower rung of needs.

Critics from the music industry blame it on the Singaporean mindset – focusing on stimulating the economy of the young country – putting arts and culture on the backburner.

It is harder to find English music of quality now, he said, adding that music goes through cycles and he considers many songs today to be “watered down music.”

“Every decade, the quality drops more and more, to the extent that we have gone back to the days of the 50s pre-Beatles era, where music was more manufactured,” Mr Mathews said.

Mr Danny Loong, former band member and leader of Singapore band Ublues, feels that as Singaporeans, “we knew ourselves better in the past.”

“P. Ramlee was like the Frank Sinatra or Elvis Presley of the East,” he said. “Him, M. Nasir and The Quest – they were all very good performers in the 60s and 70s era.”

Despite the successes of a few, “there was

BY FARAH ELIAS 02 December 2010

Nine-piece hip-hop band SIXX led by rapper Kevin Lester. PHOTO | INTERNET

a negative perception of music that it was a bad influence,” he said.

With human resources as its only natural resource, social campaign advertisements in Singapore during the 60s attempted to mould the masses towards nation building and a career in the music business was contrary to the master plan of a newly-independent country.

P. Ramlee in his younger days. He continues to be a leading icon of the Malay entertainment scene. PHOTO | INTERNET

ART & CULTURE

Posters hung in post offices used to state that men with long hair would be served last. The hippie lifestyle was frowned upon and did not fit the ideal of a well-mannered, law-abiding citizen.

While the perception has altered, an air of skepticism still looms over those who choose a career as a musician as it does not provide a steady source of income within the small market for local music.

The problem is two-fold as budding musicians themselves lack unwavering passion and commitment, an aspect Mr Loong thinks is a “pragmatic reality of life in a country like Singapore” where people have been conditioned over the years to focus on attaining a stable career.

He adds: “Singapore is a young nation and we are still trying to find what our culture is.”

The government recognises this and has set up an Arts and Culture Strategic Review (ACSR) Steering Committee in September this year to make arts an integral part of life in Singaporeans and get people to engage actively in arts and cultural activities.

Consisting of people from both government and private sectors, the 19-member group will chart Singapore’s next phase of cultural development.

“Change is coming. People are slowly realising that there’s a real need for arts,” said Mr Loong, who also co-founded Timbre in 2005, a local music bar and restaurant concept.

The local music scene has seen a few big changes in last couple of years. “Five

years ago, live music was not popular but it is a mainstay in many bars and pubs in Singapore nowadays,” he said.

For many in the industry, live music seems to be the future outlook for musicians as it becomes more profitable to do so.

“The recorded music industry is dying; it’s not about CDs. Live music and getting booked for corporate shows or by sponsors is the way,” Mr Mathews explains about the current trend.

This upswing is a stark contrast to how things were several years ago: Local pop and rock music was trapped, in no man’s land.

“Previously, the National Arts Council (NAC) did not recognise it as artistic music and clubs did not think it was commercial enough,” Mr Mathews said about the predicament that many bands met with.

The NAC is one of the main players that organise arts events and provide opportunities for musicians to perform in a competitive environment. However, grants are geared towards traditional and cultural music, and loans are targeted towards

youths pursuing classical music instead of pop and rock acts.

“Artists who are really doing it for the music, improving their craft, and have something important to say in their songs…these are the people we should be promoting,” Mr Mathews added.

But for undergraduate Ms Rasyida Samsudin, 22, who regulars Timbre at least once a month, doing covers of popular songs is a necessary rite of passage for local bands to prove themselves.

“Before a band can be famous for their originals, they should first and foremost do covers as people are more familiar with those songs,” she said.

“I feel that a band can only do originals once they’ve gained the public recognition of how well they can play,” Ms Rasyida added.

It is towards this aim that Mr Loong set up Timbre Music Academy (TMA), the academy arm of the Group, to groom budding talents “beyond just technique and training” – something that was missing in terms of music education here.

IMAGE | INTERNET

Timbre Music Academy home page. IMAGE | INTERNET

ART & CULTURE

“To have a career in the music industry, bands need to be able to perform in bars and gigs,” he said, adding that TMA gives them the opportunity to gain exposure and perform live on a stage, “not just hide behind a wall.”

Mr Loong believes that for Singaporean bands to make it big, it boils down to three main factors: opportunity, attitude, and honest feedback.

“Singapore musicians need to relentlessly strive to be great, and they also need constructive criticism. Otherwise, the standard remains stagnant,” he said.

Also a mentor for Noise, a youth arts festival and an NAC initiative, Mr Mathews believes that while there are more platforms now, “Singapore needs more music blogs instead of talking about food” in order to build up the scene here.

Blogs make or break a band and music sites like Pitchfork, a Chicago-based daily internet publication, have become the tastemakers of the society.

“There’s better appreciation of good music now but appreciating local music is another step forward,” he added.

Singaporeans “don’t take risks” whereas their American counterparts “dare to believe…and that’s where America succeeds.”

“America is a truly creative country. Even in Asia, countries like Japan and Korea,

they are vibrant economies with a strong creative sector,” he said, referring to the lively music scenes there like the J-Pop and K-Pop culture.

“Singapore should try and emulate and find the balance. (We) need to respect and focus on these areas too.”

With several decades of experience under his belt, Mr Mathews believes bands that venture overseas have a much better chance of making it in the industry.

“Bands need to get their name on the map. They need to do it themselves; plough their own field, try to go overseas and get some recognition,” he added.

The little red dot that can. GRAPHICS | FARAH ELIAS

SOCIETY

Singaporeans cry foul over Olympic silver

BY FARAH ELIAS September 2008

A tainted silver medal – that is what most Singaporeans think about the nation’s first Olympic medal in 48 years, which was won by China-born athletes.

Watching the table tennis finals was a surreal experience for Republic Polytechnic student Andy Tee, 21. “It is like China’s team A playing against China’s team B. The only difference is the flag they represent.”

Singapore clinched the silver in the women’s table tennis team event at the Beijing Olympics. The flag hoisted was Singapore’s, the players however were not. Li Jiawei, Feng Tianwei and Wang Yuegu were born in China and recruited to play for Singapore.

Mr Stephen Yang, a 58-year-old tailor shop owner, does not feel that the medal is a cause for celebration. “It is essentially a ‘borrowed’ silver,” he said.

Despite skepticism, the medal won brings Singapore a step further in developing its sporting culture.

The government launched Project 0812 in 2006, an initiative targeting certain athletes and sports to win medals at both the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. The government also pledged $1m dollars – the most offered by any nation – for an Olympic gold.

But copywriter Syahirah Salim, 20, said the reward will make sports even more money-oriented than it already is; a slippery slope as the line between doing for the passion versus tangible gains is blurred.

“Soon the best sportsmen will either come from the richest countries or the richest countries will be importing the best athletes. Bottom-line is: money talks and talent can be bought.”

Others believe that the hefty investment in foreign sportsmen could be put to better use.

“The money should be spent on improving

home-grown talents. We cannot expect foreign talents to be helping us clinch medals forever,” said 17-year-old Nurul Jannah Azmi, a student from Singapore Polytechnic.

To develop world-class sportsmen amongst Singaporeans, the mindset has to change, said physical education teacher Abdul Samad, 52.

“Regretfully, the emphasis is on academic excellence which is the passport to a better future. A sporting career in Singapore is not an attractive way to earn a living,” he said, as very few get recognised.

But NS man Abbas Bacha, 20, felt that Singaporeans should put aside issues of nationalisation and bask in the limelight in such a rare event.

“It brings about awareness for our nation on the global stage. Imagine the number of television sets tuned in to see an unfamiliar flag at the podium,” he said.

Singapore’s table tennis team thank the crowd for their support after losing to top seed China in the Beijing Olympic Games. PHOTO | INTERNET

ART & CULTURE

SINGAPORE – Music fans’ expect next year’s concert by the bay to kick it up a notch as it marks its tenth anniversary in August.

Fans are hoping for more famous international acts to be invited this time around despite the annual festival being known for celebrating the diversity and vibrancy of the Asian alternative music scene instead.

This year, Jon Auer of the American power pop band The Posies performed with local indie super band TypeWriter for a special international collaboration.

“They came together to play each other’s works, including original materials from TypeWriter’s first-ever album,” said Baybeats Programming Officer, Ms Esther Lee.

This year’s programme has successfully whetted fans’ appetite and music lovers are calling for more famous bands to be showcased at the annual music festival.

Organisers are now – 10 years on – capitalising on the pull factor of international acts and intend to invite more groups from across the Pacific. This also helps to promote variety and encourage cross-border dialogue, which will widen local artists’ exposure, said Ms Lee.

For local singer-songwriter, Kevin Mathews, 49, who also blogs about the yearly music festival, he believes the best option is for Singapore Rock, better known as S-ROCK, and Pinoy Rock to interact “for mutual benefit”.

Besides international collaborations, social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter have also benefited the relatively young music festival in terms of widening its reach.

Bigger, better, bolder BaybeatsBY FARAH ELIAS November 2010

Baybeats organisers launched the first-ever Baybeats Twitter account this year to bring the music closer to the public.

It allows the public to participate by posting their feedback, thereby providing a “live” feed so that music fans are able to follow the text, photos, as well as video tweets stream, said Ms Lee.

Budding alternative bands are also becoming increasingly savvy in their marketing skills to showcase their music.

“Baybeats has become an open platform for local bands to maximise this opportunity to profile themselves in many ways,” said Ms Lee.

TypeWriter officially launched their debut album at this year’s Baybeats, riding on the trend of local bands timing their album releases with the festival period.

Rock band Lunarin also decided to release their new album during the music festival this year, citing fewer options to

promote alternative music in the realm of mainstream media now. A mainstay in Singapore’s music circle since 2003, the alternative rock band has already garnered a sizeable reputation for themselves.

However, some youths feel that more can be done to increase the visibility of local bands.

Music enthusiast Jamuna Sundaraj, 22, believes there are more local bands emerging on their own that have steered away from popular music and gone into something more alternative. Besides music festivals like Baybeats, they lack the backing of organisations in terms of “better recognition and also financial support,” she said.

Baybeats blogger Tasneem Banu, 22, feels that the problem for local bands is “they’re “lacking in terms of the X-factor.”

But she does not rule out budding talents from being able to make it big. “Recent bandbusters like Sixx have indeed made

Local band TypeWriter released their CD titled “Indian Head Massage” in August. PHOTO | INTERNET

ART & CULTURE

me take a second turn at what they have to offer,” she added.

While music fans are encouraged by the talent showcased, most still see Baybeats as a music festival in its preliminary stages of growth.

Sufiyan Sulaiman, 23, a Baybeats concert-goer and volunteer for more than five years thinks the Esplanade music festival still has room for improvement.

“Festivals like Woodstock, Lollapalooza and the Vans Warped Tour have been around for years and years. Baybeats being a baby in comparison to these ‘uncles,’ would need a while…to even be compared to them,” he said.

Ms Lee said the festival would continue to “function as a launch pad for local indie talents and play an instrumental role in the

development of these bands.”

When asked about how Baybeats has evolved through the years, Ms Lee said: “We (the organisers) are not the judge of our festival’s success – the artists and our audience’s involvement is.”

Linda Ong and band, Lunarin, have played together for more than 15 years. PHOTO | INTERNET

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Newlyweds can reduce shark-finning by changing menu

BY FARAH ELIASOctober 2010

Singaporeans can help conserve dwindling shark populations by taking shark’s fin soup off wedding menus and looking for an alternative instead.

By doing so, each couple can save 40 to 50 sharks per banquet, said the Nature Society of Singapore (NSS) in its latest newsletter.

In the NSS sharks feature, Dr Lesley Cartwright-Taylor said Singapore could take the lead by being the first country in Southeast Asia to boycott shark’s fin soup by reducing demand for them in wedding banquets.

If people explain why they choose to take shark’s fin soup off the menu, establishments lose business and then they too might act, she said.

“Sharks fin soup has no nutritional value,” she added and the soup has to be flavoured with chcken stock as the shark’s fin itself is bland. In spite of this, they still cost up to 60 percent of the bill of the banquet, Dr Cartwright-Taylor said.

While shark’s fin soup was considered a delicacy in the past, served at upmarket Chinese restaurants in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore, increasing affluence across the region and population growth in China has led to overfishing and shark decimation, said Mr Howard Banwell in another NSS article dedicated to the endangered species.

“Shark species are particularly susceptible to extinction due to over-exploitation,” he said. “Worldwide, fishermen target more than 100 different species of sharks, and catch at least as many unintentionally.”

Although they are the “ocean’s top predators” and are vital to the marine ecosystem, sharks only attain sexual maturity later in life and bear few offsprings, said Mr Banwell.

According to Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES) founder Louis Ng, losses of some shark species were large, with over a million of them killed each year for their fins alone.

The most recent study on shark population by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) confirmed that 11 of the 18 shark species with sufficient data were threatened with extinction: 26 percent were threatened with extinction while another 20 percent fell into the near-threatened category.

An anti shark-fin soup campaign for the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. PHOTO | INTERNET

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

1st Tamiflu-resistant case survives

BY FARAH ELIASSeptember 2009

Singapore’s first case of Tamiflu-resistant H1N1 virus has since recovered, amidst reports of several other cases around the world, raising concern about the current drugs used to treat it.

There have been seven cases reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) so far, said resident scientist Charles Penn. Japan has reported three cases of resistance; and Canada, Denmark, Hong Kong and Singapore had one each.

“The resistant strain emerged during treatment and was detected through laboratory testing but, by then, the patient had already improved clinically,” said a Ministry of Health (MOH) spokesman.

She added that patients can recover “even if they are infected with a Tamiflu-resistant influenza strain because the immune system plays an important part in clearing the body of the virus”.

Despite the anomaly, Tamiflu will continue to be the drug of choice to tackle the H1N1 bug and about two million courses will be stockpiled in Singapore by the end of this year.

Besides Tamiflu, Relenza is the only other flu drug used to treat H1N1 case, but it is inhaled rather than taken orally.

Dr Penn revealed that WHO had been alerted informally to “a small number of other Tamiflu resistant viruses” but would not elaborate.

He added that laboratories around the world are on the lookout for changes in pandemic viruses that might suggest a similar problem of resistance.

“But so far, no evidence has been found,” he said.

MOH said it would continue to conduct surveillance for antiviral resistance.

Tamiflu is the most frequently prescribed flu medicine for flu treatment. PHOTO | INTERNET