The Esplanade has effectively conceded to boorish, raging conservatives, signaling that art can be censored by a bunch of complaints by angry parents and netizens.
After much consideration and discussion with the artist, the performing arts center has decided to take down a drawing that has been the target of furious online vitriol over the last couple of days.
To be fair, the risqué sketch by local artist Vincent Leow was displayed in a public space at the Esplanade’s exhibition wall — where families with young kids are likely to pass by and potentially be affronted.
When I saw the sketch, I did wonder if it would be taken down, seeing that we have such intolerance for anything out of the box. Then I saw Esplanade’s post last night. Oh well. https://t.co/8N1jgykQci
— imp (@faerieimp) June 6, 2018
The artwork itself? It’s a sketch made in 1989 depicting a naked individual sitting astride a giant chicken. It’s part of an exhibition on the third level of the Esplanade that showcases Leow’s never-seen-before array of sketchbooks and loose drawings that provides insight into the creative processes of the contemporary artist throughout the last three decades. It’s a rare look into the mind of a 57-year-old headline-grabbing artist who has been known to court controversy in the past through paintings, performances, sculptures and mixed-media works.
In a 1992 performance called Coffee Talk, for example, Leow drank his own urine to make a point about how artists are the producers and consumers of art. As you do.
“Values will be shaken”
Incisive as the exhibition may be, an infamous ultra-conservative Facebook group called Singaporeans Defending Marriage and Family were absolutely livid about that one sketch drawing, accusing the Esplanade of “promoting bestiality”. In a viral post, the group took issue with the fact that the artwork was displayed in an area where kids would walk past to enter a dedicated play area for children — especially so during the school holidays right now.
According to TODAY, concerned parents have been lodging written complaints to the Esplanade, calling Leow’s piece “not age appropriate”.
“We don’t want to see our children being exposed to this. Their values will be shaken. They will find that there is a new norm appealing to people,” noted one particularly aggrieved elderly woman to TODAY.
The general concern revolves around that particular artwork being showcased in a public area. It’s something that the Esplanade’s chief executive officer Yvonne Tham agreed on, and admitted their “error of judgement”.
“Given the very public thoroughfare, the wide diversity of people who may come through not expecting to see art, may come through with young children… encountering a work without any forewarning or advisory in this case may not have been the most appropriate space for the nature of this particular sketch. This is solely Esplanade’s error of judgement,” Tham stated in response to media queries.
At first, Tham took a neutral stance to the commotion, calling on patrons “draw their own interpretations of a drawing that is not a realistic rendering.” Following a discussion with Leow, Tham decided that it would be best to remove the piece from the exhibition.
“We have agreed to not continue displaying the drawing, given that the public space at Esplanade’s Community Wall does not allow opportunity for an advisory and is visited by a wide range of visitors, including families,” she said, taking full responsibility for the mistake on behalf of the performing arts center.
This would be considered a win for Singaporeans Defending Marriage & Family, but an utter shame for the state of artistic expression here. We’re talking about a group on Facebook that exists for the sake of spreading homophobic sentiments and other hateful content about anything that goes against “family values”.
The reaction to Esplanade’s decision brought another wave of criticism online — this time against the people responsible for the removal of Leow’s piece.
