Artworks at outdoor exhibition hot targets for damage, abuse

SINGAPORE — Arm-length cracks, scratches, stickers stuck onto art pieces, and stains: These are some of the damage that has been inflicted onto a few sculptures that were part of the outdoor exhibition Envision: Sculptures @ The Garden City.

The artwork that suffered the most trauma was Singaporean artist Kumari Nahappan’s Road To Fifty featuring oversized red saga seeds, said the exhibition’s presenter iPreciation.

The seeds used in that artwork at the Empress Place lawn were initially placed in clusters and anchored into the ground but were soon found detached, with the wires and pins that had secured them together “loosened and in a mess”, said iPreciation’s founder and managing director Helina Chan in the letter.

“Each time these were re-fixed, the mess ensued within a day,” she said, adding that these was most likely due to public interaction with the sculptures, which included adults and kids sitting on the artwork, hugging, tugging or trying to move or lift them and throwing them on the ground.

“While these actions by the public were most likely not done out of any malicious intent, the aggregated impact of each action, even if it’s as simple as touching it, sitting on it, pulling it closer to oneself for a photo or selfie all adds up to the disintegration of the artwork,” she noted, adding that there were signs next to the artwork which instructed the public to refrain from touching them.

The exhibition, which began on Jan 16 and will run until April 15, allows free public access, and showcases 13 sets of works by 11 international and local artists on a trail starting from the Arts House Lawn. Other locations include the Asian Civilisations Museum Green, Empress Place Lawn and Clifford Square.

Some artists TODAY spoke to were unperturbed however, as they felt the nature of public art meant that people would naturally try to interact with them.

“When you do a public sculpture, you have to take into consideration whether these sculptures are able to withstand outdoor temperatures and people’s touch,” said artist Ben Puah.

While people had stuffed plastic drink packets and rubbish into the nooks of his sculptures before, Puah said he usually welcomes people touching his works, although he draws the line at blatant vandalism such as scribbling on them. “For paintings we can understand why (there is a restriction), but for sculptures, when they are put in public places, I think people should be allowed to touch them.”

Another artist, Tan Wee Lit, pointed out that public art, being in the public realm, “are inevitably subjected to some sort of physical abuse”.

Because public art exhibitions are usually temporary, this means the choice of materials are not meant for extended wear and tear, he said. The ways that it can be anchored down are also meant for easy restoration of the site upon the conclusion of the exhibition.

Adding that most of the damage is done “out of mischief and a disregard for a difference between public artwork and public furniture”, Mr Tan quipped: “The only effective signs that can probably help deter such acts of mischief are signs that say ‘Danger - High Voltage’.”

“It will take some time to nurture in the public this civil consciousness and respect not just for public artworks alone but also for everything that exist in the public realm and shared in communal spaces- from furniture to foliage. I believe this change in mindset will happen eventually,” he added.

Joshua Yang of art collective Vertical Submarine, said such abuse occurs everywhere around the world, not just in Singapore. For example, a ceramic sculpture displayed on a table went missing after their participation in the London leg of the Singapore: Inside Out showcase last year.

“As long as we open up something to the public space, there will always be damage,” he said, whether it is due to weather elements, scratches or thieves. So they try to insure the artwork for a certain value so incidents can be covered.

For Singapore Art Museum however, its Curatorial Co-Head Tan Siuli said it has held a number of public art commissions on its front lawn over the years, but “fortunately, serious damage or abuse to artwork is generally the exception rather than the norm”.

“We are all for having more art out there in the public space, and we recognise that it can sometimes be difficult to ascertain whether an artwork is interactive or not, and it comes with certain risks,” she said.

In general, she added, interactivity (or not) can be communicated via visual cues. For example, information on the artwork caption or standee; presence of security personnel nearby to advise on interactivity; placement of barriers or even siting of artwork – if it is deliberately recessed in a space or installed at a certain height to discourage immediate physical access - should be a clue, she said.

For Road To Fifty, barriers have now been put up to prevent the public from going near to the artwork.

“It is really sad to see a work of art bruised and damaged ... It pains (me) to see them lost and barricaded due to the disrespect the public has had for them. I will think twice about doing such work (again),” said Nahappan.

Chan told TODAY such incidents happen because some people feel touching the artwork is harmless, or they don’t read the signs. “Often, we observe that there is a complete lack of awareness or ignorance by people or parents who are supposed to supervise their children and teach them that that art objects, or any property that doesn’t belong to you should be treated with respect and care.”

While it is good to have interactive art that the public can engage with, it would be better for people “to check the accompanying info if the artwork invites interaction”, she said, adding that some civic consciousness or basic awareness “will be helpful”. “Public art is meant for public enjoyment but it still belongs to someone even though it’s in the public space, and respecting the works will help us go a long way.”

When contacted, Mr Low Eng Teong, Director for Sector Development (Visual Arts), National Arts Council (NAC) said the council “regrets this deplorable incident where a public art work was badly damaged and has caused unnecessary distress to both artist and gallery”.

“As this work is in a high traffic space which attracts different visitors including tourists, clear signage is important and it is a pity visitors did not pay heed. We hope galleries and property owners will continue to embrace public art and work with NAC to bring about a more informed public,” he said.

“We are committed to continuous public education on engagement with public artworks which come in different media of varying scale and are meant for public enjoyment,” he added.