Private Auditoriums

A happy highlight of the 2011 arts scene is the recent opening of Joyden (joy-den) Hall in Capitaland’s Iluma shopping centre on Middle Road.

At a private meal held after the opening event, I learnt that Joyden Hall had been developed by the original owners of Iluma, for their daughter, to manage.  To ensure that the new 500- seat adaptable theatre works effectively, Hong Kong theatre doyen Danny Yung was invited to guide the design process for the theatre. The design development process included a two-year research journey that took his protégé venue manager to performing arts conferences around the globe.  Consultations with potential hirers were also held to ensure that nothing was missed.  Upon the sale of Iluma to Capitaland, the family rented the black box back to ensure that it would be managed in accordance with their original intentions.

The story is a happy one for me and arts development.  Few shopping mall owners who are typically be concerned with the bottom line, would spend money on research before embarking on a theatre project.   Net outcome – a brand-new arts facility for the community! 

In  the late 80s when we were very short of performing spaces, one of my aspirations was to offer theatre design specifications to companies building or retrofitting auditoriums.  If well-equipped, these private auditoriums would complement the few government-owned theatres and relieve the growing demand for theatre spaces.  At that point, some corporate auditoriums were already well-used for arts events but being designed primarily for meetings and talks, they were inadequate in terms of sightlines, acoustics, loading docks, staging, light and sound equipment, and dressing rooms.  One of them did not have a link between the left and right of the stage so actors had to exit into the back-lane to re-appear on the other side while in another, the control room had no view of the stage.

I did not manage to accomplish this mission as no-one including our theatre technicians could draw up specifications to a standard that they felt confident to recommend to corporations and architects.  I realized then that we did not have acousticians and theatre designers.  Either because they did not regard theatre planning as an expertise or, to save costs, architects would design the auditoriums themselves.  The only exception of course, was Singapore Conference Hall (SCH) and DBS Auditorium architect Dato Lim Chong Keat who being an accomplished musician himself, fully understood the importance of good acoustics and drew famed American acousticians Berenek, Bolt and Neumann (BBN) into the SCH project.  Hopefully, other corporations embarking on new buildings would give more thought to this.  Dato Lim recently shared the making of the SCH at a Singapore Heritage Society talk.   

Despite all the efforts invested, there is no perfect venue and reactions among arts companies to the user-friendliness of  Joyden Hall are mixed.  Still, it’s a welcome addition to the inventory of art spaces and  we  hope it can maintain the right balance of arts and non-arts content by keeping rental rates affordable for art companies.  

For the audience, the best thing of all is that Joyden Hall has very comfortable seats.  No backache!

St Joseph’s Institution, La Salle brothers & my Family

Since writing the post “New Museums in Old Buildings“ ,  I have made a startling discovery.  My granduncle David Wee Cheng Soon was a major benefactor to the SJI building on Bras Basah Road, with a contribution of a princely sum of $1,500 in 1912!

Wee Cheng Soon name on SJI's Donors' Plaque .

Catholic-Teochew philanthropist David Wee Cheng Soon married my grand-aunt Regina Tan Mui Liam on 30 July 1901 at St Peter and Paul’s Church.  Regina Tan was the elder sister of my mum’s adoptive father, Francis Tan.  My grandfather Francis worked as a foreman in Wee’s construction company and during her childhood, my mum lived with other branches of the Tan family in homes built by the Wee family in Pasir Panjang, Bukit Timah Road and Newton Road.  I was born when we resided at the shop house (now signed “Baker”) at the corner of Newton and Makepeace Roads until I turned four.  Other branches of the Tan family lived within the Makepeace Road enclave that still stands (www.TansofMakepeaceRoad.wordpress.com). 

Research undertaken by Marc Rerceretnam, great-grandson of Wee revealed that “he was born in Singapore and lived in Armenian St (near MPH Building) prior to 1904.  A self-made man, Wee’s first big break came when he won a contract to tow training targets out at sea, while the British cannons shot at it from land,  around 1905.  He then started his own construction company “Wee Cheng Soon Construction Ltd”,  located at Stamford Rd.  The company helped build most of the colonial British army camps,  SGH hospital wings, Kallang Airport runway,  Sembawang Naval Base and KL’s Majestic Hotel which was converted to an air museum in the 1990s.  He also owned a granite quarry on Pulau Ubin from where he quarried granite for his construction projects and,  a gold mine in Malaysia.  A newspaper article in the mid to late 1930s revealed that his company owned and operated the best road building equipment in Malaya at the time.  Held in high regard by the Catholic Church hierarchy, he also donated large amounts to the construction of St Teresa’s Church on Kampong Bahru (where his ashes are now interred),  constructed the Sacred Heart Church on Tank Road with funds from the Low Khiok Chiang family  which was linked by marriage; and  funded a wing of St Joseph’s Institution on Bras Basah Road.   Wee himself was once a student of SJI as was his son Philip Wee (in 1917) and Marc himself (1976)”.

Bro. Columban (James Lim) with parents & siblings

An even closer connection between SJI and my family is that my late father, James Lim Teck Liang was a La Salle Brother (Columban) who resided and taught at SJI and St Patrick’s School on East Coast Road.   The story goes that he and other local brothers quit en bloc as they were dissatisfied with the way they were treated by the foreign missionaries.  It seems that the foreign brothers “enjoyed their wines and cheeses but denied local brothers basic needs like new cassocks” (uniform worn by brothers).  

Post-brotherhood years, my father married and had five children.  He continued his life of service to the Catholic Church by founding and conducting choirs at St Peter & Paul’s Church (twice – 1950-1954; 1970-1974), St Michael’s Church (1959 -1964), Holy Spirit Church (1964-1970). These are approximate dates coinciding with our moves from Makepeace Road to May Road (1954) and Thomson Gardens (1964) where he lived till he died in 1975.  He remained an educationist all his life teaching mainly language and literature at Monk’s Hill School (Windstedt Road),  Boon Lay Primary School,  Whitley Primary School (1955 to 1965) (Onraet Road) where he was headmaster and finally, the Catholic High School and the Adult Education Board in Fort Canning Road and Kim Keat School during his post-retirement years.  At home, he emphasized the importance of education to all his children.

The connection between SJI and my generation is that both my brothers were educated at St Michael’s School and SJI.   As a CHIJ Victoria Street Pre-University student in the late 1960s,  I attended literature and history classes at SJI as the two schools shared classes taught by the CHIJ teachers.  My son also attended secondary school at St Patrick’s School at East Coast Road in the 90′s.

With Bro. Joe McNally, Alan Rubinstein and Sue Walker, Director of Victorian Tapestry Workshop after opening "Woven Tapestry" exhibition.

I think my feelings of “at-homeness” with SJI and the La Salle Brothers pre-disposed me to support Brother Joseph McNally when upon his retirement, he sought the Ministry of Culture’s assistance to set up St Patrick’s Arts Centre and later La Salle School of the Arts.   The Ministry extended a grant of $30,000 in 1981 towards the construction of the outdoor shed facing Marine Parade Road which housed a significant sculpture workshop.   That’s when I met notables like Ng Eng Teng, Han Sai Por, Tan Teng Kee, Michael Ong and the Trimurti artists – Chandrasekeran, Goh Ee Choo and Saleh Japar.   Later, when Brother started the Arts Housing Scheme,  we gave La Salle School of Arts the Teluk Kurau East School (now called Teluk Kurau Artist Studios) before its move to  its Goodman Road Campus.   Regretably,  we could not fulfill  Brother’s wish to house La Salle in SJI Bras Basah as it had already been promised to the National Museum for an arts gallery (the Singapore Art Museum).    

I mention elsewhere that a past life as a struggling artist seems to have  propelled me into my current life of service to the arts.   I now feel it is karmic that my generation has a role in preserving SJI which our fathers built and treasured.   Interestingly, photos shared by cousins in UK reveal that many of the buildings onWaterloo Street (now a key arts precinct) were also built / owned / lived in by members of the Wee Family;  as are the buildings on Armenian Street although I have yet to ascertain which ones.

Art Funding Quadrants

 If there were such things as “past lives”,  I think I must have once been a poor starving artist who was fortunate enough to receive incessant help from many quarters.

Extract from first Annual Report of Singapore Cultural Foundation

In a career spanning nearly 40 years (1973 to date), I have spent nearly 33 years of it in various arts promotion including 16 years in arts granting roles – from 1981 to 1990 as Secretary of the Singapore Cultural Foundation and these last four years as a member of the Tote Board Art Fund.  Parallel to extending cash grants, I also had a role in hatching the Arts Housing Scheme, Semi-Residential Status in Theatre Scheme (SRSITS) and Annual Grant scheme in the mid-80s, riding on the PAP’s Cultural Vision 1999 which was unveiled at end 1984.

Yes, it does feel like “pay-back time” for the generosity extended to me in my “past lives”.  No matter into which job I “drift” (“drift” as I am not given to planning or plotting my next move), I have been thrust (willingly, fortunately) into an art granting role.

From experiences through the years, I have developed an “Arts Funding Quadrants” model which goes something like this:

Grant	Company / Cooperative	Club / Society
Project	Quadrant Four	Quadrant One
Annual	Quadrant Three	Quadrant Two

In Quadrant One,  hobbyist art clubs that organize events on an ad hoc basis receive project grants.  In Quadrant Two, art societies that organize regular events receive annual grants.  In Quadrant Three, high-quality art companies receive larger annual grants along with arts housing and theatre residencies.  In Quadrant Four, established art companies which have built strong financial reserves and can manage on their own, revert to ad hoc grants for selected productions, albeit with continued help with housing and tax-exemption privileges.

We have to accept that anywhere in any world, the majority of arts groups would remain in Quadrant One. These are hobbyist clubs (choirs, dance or art students) based in community centres, company  staff recreation clubs, university or school alumni or art schools that stage events on an ad hoc basis, when the mood grabs them. What the groups produce is acceptable but not necessarily of a high standard but they are important as they build audiences for the arts.  A Chinese brush painting hobbyist or chorister is likely to attend art performances or exhibitions even if it is to support their teachers / conductors. As an added bonus, these hobbyists sometimes offer their products for fund-raising purposes and garner support not necessarily because the art is good but because buyers want to support a charitable cause.  Such fund–raising activities motivate these hobbyists to carry on.  Any support given to such groups would not be on the basis of the standard of work but to encourage art appreciation and to seed groups that may hold promise to enter the subsequent quadrants..

The groups in Quadrant Two are also run by hobbyists but they are more serious and produce a more consistent output of higher quality works. They have formed dedicated art societies and stage two to four events a year, making it more efficient for grant-makers to process their grant requests once instead of as and when.  One could call them “community art groups”.

The groups in Quadrant Three are “professional” not-for-profit art companies supported by paid administrators and in some cases, a corps of full-time professional artists.  Here I am careful to differentiate “full-time” from “professional” as I realize that  professional actors, directors and lead vocalists are often not engaged on a full-time basis but on a production basis. Orchestras and dance companies often engage a stable corps of professionals whereas theatre companies tend to assemble them on a production basis. I am not sure what opera houses do but watching an old, plump far from “to-die-for” Turandot in a European production theatre a few years ago convinced me that it is better not to be stuck with full-timers.  The groups in Quadrant Three have earned the right to annual grants to support their administrative costs and production costs.

The groups in Quadrant Four are “professional” not-for-profit art companies supported by paid administrators who have successfully built a stable of corporate sponsors and adequate financial reserves, to enable them to pursue their art, free of the shackles that come with dependency on “officialdom” with all the strings attached.  It is arguable when reserves are “adequate” but drawing from my years of funding charities and sports, I would venture that reserves that can buoy a company over two or three years of their operations would be “adequate”.  

More recently, equally serious-minded variations of these companies have emerged including artist cooperatives.  Being non-profit in nature, they deserve assistance like the art companies in Quadrant Three. 

I understand that the Art Housing Scheme is facing a crunch now with too many groups on the queue for too few buildings.   Whereas in the mid-80s, dedicated space was given sparingly, only to the few companies in Quadrants  Three and some in Quadrant Two, I wonder whether dedicated space has been given out too liberally in the last 25 years. 

If the arts groups are more clearly segmented according to the four quadrants,  granting practices and arts housing can be differentiated appropriately with ”different strokes for different folks”.   Groups in Three and Four would qualify for private, dedicated space that is at their disposal when they need it.  Groups in Quadrants One and Two could be given housing on a project or sessional basis ie they rent space only when they need it.  

I recall that the former “Meat Market” Art Centre in Melbourne (so named as it was retrofitted from a disused abbatoir) rented space on different tenures – multi-year tenure as well as project-based rentals for some rooms, even looms.

I hear that some groups in Quadant Three have been advised that their housing needs would be assessed en par with  those of newer groups and that housing in new arts housing facilities eg Goodman Road would be mainly be extended on a project or sessional basis, what I term a “hospital bed” approach.

I fear that the jitters and sense of uncertainty felt by groups in Quadrant Three and Four (in stark contrast to the sense of security of space that the Art Housing Scheme was originally conceived to impart) and their being placed under  a ”hospital bed” arrangement may undermine the output of productions that has surged meteorically since the 1980s.  

I certainly hope I will be proven wrong.

Dr. Tan It Koon – Art Advocate

 

                 

      Aside from the pleasure of hosting American-Chinese basso Tien Hou Jian and his wife Martha, at the 2^nd OperaViva Gala Dinner on 12 November 2010 at the Tanglin Club, the event brought me another surprise. It reconnected me to chemical pathologist-musician-painter Dr Tan It Koon, after 20 years! 

Dr Tan It Koon in Korea

“I would like to spread the message that study of visual and performing arts need not necessary be for the sole purpose of preparing for a life-long career in these areas.  One can be a part-time painter, musician, actor, dancer, writer, even up to the professional level throughout life while engaged in other professions.* Life will be richer, more interesting and more balanced.  One would have a better background to appreciate and enjoy the wide variety of cultural performances. One is also better prepared to be involved either professionally or as non-professional volunteers in the administration and promotion of cultural activities. There would not be the worry of having nothing to do when one retires from full-time work as this would be a good time to continue pursuit of ones interest in the cultural field.”….Dr Tan It Koon, Art Advocate

It Koon and I worked together in the ‘80s when he served on the Management Committee of the Singapore Cultural Foundation and the Steering and Planning Committees of the Singapore Arts Festival.  He was also the Deputy Chairman of the National Theatre Trust (NTT).

At my invitation, It Koon has contributed his insight into the Kallang Theatre art collection and shared his experiences as an artist and arts advocate.

On the Kallang Theatre Art Collection

“…As the Deputy Chairman of the National Theatre Trust who had the responsibility of overseeing all cultural activities of the Theatre, I was invited to be the Chairman of the Panel to select winning works from the well-publicized “Expressions” competition.  Artists Mr Choo Keng Kwang and Mr Ng Eng Teng as well as interior designer Mr David Tay (who had renovated our History Museum on Stamford Road with Ms Ruby Lai) served on my selection committee. As none of the schemes was found suitable for all three levels of the theatre, Mr Anthony Poon’s work on “Waves” was assigned to the Level 3 lobby, Mr Thomas Tan’s dramatic painted metal patch-work to Level 2 and Mr Lim Leong Seng sculptures of white face masks to Level 1… 

……(In addition to the $80,000 from Esso Singapore), I think a further $100,000 was received from the Loke Foundation to commission a sculpture (of dancers) by Singapore’s most well-known sculptor, Ms Han Sai Por for the interior of Kallang Theatre…I have the impression that the group of dancers required a total of  $100,000…that the fund for the art installation was donated by Lady McNiece, Chairperson of the Loke Foundation through National Theatre Chairman, Mr Thai Chee Ken who was on the Management Board of the Loke Foundation. The accuracy of the facts can be checked against the Annual Reports of the National Theatre Trust…

I think Han Sai Por’s work (a small table-top version in clay) was submitted for the “Expressions” Art Competition…. Subsequently, a smaller replica of the group of 3 dancers – one female and a male holding a female bronze ballet dancer – was presented to Lady McNiece. At that time, there were no facilities for bronze sculptures in Singapore. The nearest available facility was in Thailand. Ms Han was required to take 2 or 3 trips to Thailand to complete the works. This was her very first opportunity to work with bronze as she usually worked in with stones.  When completed, the sculpture was sited within the theatre next to the main spiral staircase leading to the level 2 lobby of the theatre’s stall. I am not sure where these ballet dancer sculptures have been moved to.”  

On his contribution to the arts in Singapore

“I spent more than 10 years in the administration and promotion of performing arts in three separate and distinct areas:

(1)     Administering the cultural performance aspects of the National Theatre which provided the main revenue for the Theatre as well as looking after four affiliated groups, supporting their regular public performances and activities: (a) National Symphonic Band, (b) National Dance Company, (c) Dance Circle, and Composers’ Circle; 

(2)     Administration of various grants and scholarships provided by the Singapore Cultural Foundation for various cultural projects and individuals pursuing studies or research in visual, literary and performing arts;

(3)     Sourcing and planning for performances for the Singapore Arts Festival.   

Besides those directly related to my role at the National Theatre Trust and the MCD, I also contacted individual or group of performers  and visual artists and organised special music, dance and theatrical performances as well as art exhibitions whenever I organized regional and international congresses, such as those for Clinical Biochemistry, Chemistry, Virology, and Forensic & Legal Medicine. Such performances and exhibitions which took place at Shangri-La and Mandarin Hotels, Victoria Theatre and Singapore Art Museum were greatly appreciated by conference participants and were well supported by sponsors and funds earned from the conferences.

My last responsibility at the closure of the National Theatre and at end of my commitment to the Cultural Foundation was to serve the National Committee to review the current situation concerning the arts prior to the establishment of a new National Arts Council and building of a new National Theatre and Concert Hall. The late Mr Ong Teng Cheong, President of Singapore was himself the Chairman of the first high-level National Committee for the Promotion and Development of Cultural Activities in Singapore.  I was requested to chair the Committee on Dance and provided a report on the current status of the various dance groups and dance schools as well as their needs for support, adequacy of opportunity for performance, facilities and venues for practices and performances.

I was also invited to serve on the Board of the Singapore Dance Theatre (SDT) when it was established as the first professional dance company in Singapore.  The late Mr Ong Teng Cheong was the Patron and prominent lawyer, the late Justice Lai Kew Chai the first Chairman of the Board. During my 10 years of involvement with SDT, there was significant progress in the standard, repertoire and stature of the company.”   

On It Koon, the musician

“After years of working for others, I reached a stage where I had to decline further invitations to serve on cultural-related committees whose work is administrative and promotional. There is a need for me to reserve time for myself so that I can continue with my own direct involvement with visual and performing arts. I studied music with well-known music teacher and critic, Mr Victor Doggett and have enjoyed playing the piano alone, or with other musicians in various formal or informal events. I also often served as a piano accompanist for candidates for music instrument and vocal examinations and performances; and was a pianist for ballet dance classes for many years. Therefore, there is a need to dedicate time for my own practice.”

                 

                        

 

 

 

 

“I also wanted to continue with my pursuit of painting and calligraphy which I greatly enjoyed since my school days when I was fortunate to have Singapore’s first generation of great artists, the late Dr Chen Wen Hsi and Mr Liu Kang as my art teachers. Even when I had a busy schedule working full time at the Singapore General Hospital as the Division Head for the Clinical Biochemistry Laboratories providing diagnostic testing for patients and screening for healthy individuals as well as my out-of-work commitments with various professional societies, I decided to set aside time so that I could resume serious practice on painting and calligraphy.

Winter Tale by Dr Tan It Koon

On It Koon, the painter

Mountain Village in Winter by Dr Tan It Koon

For a long time, I was looking for an artist who excels in the art of landscape painting using the Chinese brush technique to impart his skills and experience. It was not easy to find as such expertise is very scarce in Singapore. I was indeed fortunate and glad to have met a great master from Beijing, China, Mr Wu Molin who received formal training in tertiary art institutions in China and Japan, and excels in Chinese brush painting, calligraphy and stone seal carving. He was invited to Singapore where he initially taught at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Art and conducted art courses for a special program organised by the Ministry of Education for teachers of art from various schools.

I first exhibited my art works in the Chinese High School art exhibitions where I won top prizes. In the early 1970s, I participated in the National Day Art Exhibitions. I was thrilled when my paintings were purchased by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for presentation to visiting foreign VIP guests.  For the last 16 years, I have been exhibiting my paintings and calligraphic works from 1 to 3 times a year in local and overseas group art exhibitions.  I have been organizing art exhibitions for the South East Asia Art Association and had shown my works in the Palace Museum in Beijing and various museums in Shanghai, Suzhou, Luoyang, Hangzhou and Nanning.  At the invitation of Singapore’s High Commissioner for Sri Lanka, Mr Tan Kah Hoe I also co-organised a Singapore National Day Art Exhibition in conjunction with a grand dinner for VIPs and diplomatic personnel in Colombo, Sri Lanka…”

On It Koon, the art collector  & patron

“Some 20 years or so ago, several like-minded collectors of art works and I established a society “Forum of Fine Art” for those who appreciate and collect fine art. Members collected art works in all media. However, as very good paintings by top artists from China were quite affordable and often shown in exhibitions in Singapore during the mid-1970s and 1980s, members’ collections were but predominantly Chinese brush paintings.  

We have regular meetings to show old and new pieces of art works acquired by members for appreciation and comments.  A book on paintings collected in Singapore entitled “Joy of Art” was published and I was the editor for this publication. I had also served as the President of the Society in its early years, when I invited auction houses like Sotheby’s, Christies, Raffles, etc to give talks on their auctions, art galleries owners to hold private pre-exhibition viewing and meet the artists sessions, as well as talks by various artists and collectors.  Tours to visit specific exhibitions at the museums and Tyler Print Institute have also been organised. Talks in the last two years included appreciation of ceramics, Peranakan porcelain ware, Chinese pottery and porcelain works, Chinese snuff bottles, Chinese New Year couplets and woodblock paintings, Chinese festival customs, etc.

“Every year I have also been keeping up my attendance at arts festival events and other performances at the Esplanade Theatre and Concert Hall and the Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall.  I also attend performances and master classes at the University Cultural Centre, Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music Concert Hall and NAFA…”

_________________________________________________________________

*Dr Tan It Koon, (LRSM(Performing), BSc (1st Class Hons), PhD, MCB, CChem FRSC, FSNIC, FACB, FRCPath, PPA, PBM

Professional Accolades (selected)

• Head, Clinical Biochemistry Laboratories, Department of Pathology, Singapore General Hospital
• Founding Head, National Reference Laboratory for the Investigation & Diagnosis of Inherited Metabolic Disorders
• Lecturer for Science and Medical Faculties and Examiner for MSc, PhD and MD candidates of the National University of Singapore
• Founding President of the Singapore Association of Clinical Biochemists
• Various Office Bearer positions in the Council, Singapore Society of Pathology
• Council Member, Royal Institute of Chemistry (Singapore Branch)
• Various Office Bearer positions in the Council, Singapore National Institute of Chemistry
• Chairman, Singapore Professional Centre 
• Member, Singapore Science Council
• Founder President, Asian & Pacific Federation of Clinical Biochemistry (APFCB)
• Founding Chief Editor, APFCB newsletter
• First Asian Member in the Executive Board of the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry   and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC)
• Member, World Health Organisation (WHO) Expert Advisory Panel on Health Laboratory Services     and Expert Committee on Biological Standardisation
• Member, Green Singapore National Committee on Public Health
• Becton Dickinson Asian Pacific Scientific Advisory Board and Editorial Committee for “Asia   Pacific Pre-Analytical Notes”
• Global Editorial Board Member for the international website, specimencare.com, an online resource  to identify, evaluate and promote the application of best practices in all aspects of the pre-analytical phase of clinical laboratory testing in order to improve the safety and efficiency of laboratory services to more effectively manage patient outcomes throughout the world.
• Invited plenary or symposium speaker for various national and international conferences on laboratory medicine.

first coffee-table book on “Singapore Artists”

 

In the 1980s, the Ministry of Culture engaged the arts community in its art promotion efforts by setting up Advisory Committees for Dance, Drama, Choral Music, Instrumental Music, Literary Arts, Photographic Arts, and Visual Arts.  The role of the committees was to advise the Ministry on its art programme and art award nominations while the Singapore Cultural Foundation sought artists’’ views on grant applications.

When I joined the Ministry in 1981, the Visual Arts Advisory Committee functioned in Mandarin.  Chaired by the late pioneer artist Liu Kang, its membership comprised the luminaries of the scene including Chen Wen Hsi, Choo Keng Kwang, Huang Pao Fang, Ho Kok Hoe and Ng Eng Teng.  When the term of the Committee expired a year after I joined, I took the opportunity to balance the composition of the Committee by adding the National Art Gallery’s Art Curator Choy Weng Yang, art teacher Teo Eng Seng, artist Thomas Yeo and Jafaar Latiff.  Sadly, my good intentions provoked remarks that I was “anti-Chinese” but I knew that I was doing the correct thing in a multi-cultural society.    

The idea of publishing a directory of Singapore artists was hatched before I joined the Ministry.  After some months, however, I sensed that the project was not moving partly due to funding constraints but more because Committee members had difficulty in deciding which artists to include in the directory.

Ironically, my ignorance, naïveté and sense of efficiency stood me in good stead in those circumstances. Since I did not know any of the artists and had no preferences or preconceptions of who was good or bad, I adopted a clinical approach by asking every Advisory Committee member to list anonymously on blank pieces of paper, the artists that they thought were worthy of listing in the publication.  After counting up the nominations, we arrived at a list of 48 artists who had clearly been ranked above the others. I invited members to speak up if they felt uncomfortable about any of the names.  While I don’t recall any objection being raised, the question of whether artists engaged by the Ministry, such as art curator Choy Weng Yang, may be included.  My stance was that if they had been admitted into the list of 48, they should not be penalized because of their employment status and so, they were included.    

Invitation Card to 1982 National Day Art Exhibition & Launch of "Singapore Artists"

“Singapore Artists” was launched by Minister of State for Culture Major Fong Sip Chee on 16 Aug 1982 at the opening of the 1982 National Day Art Exhibition. It was co-published by the Singapore Cultural Foundation and Federal Publication. The publication carried a Foreword by Minister for Culture S. Dhanbalan. Its Co-ordinating Editor was art educationist / critic Chia Wai Hon who wrote an “Introduction” while Liu Kang and Choy Weng Yang co-wrote the article on “Singapore Art”. The book cover featuring the ciment fondue skin of Ng Eng Teng’s sculpture “The Heart of Man“ (located at the ASEAN Sculpture Park on Fort Canning) won Federal’s Art Director Lim Ching San a prize at an international book fair.

The “directory” turned out to be  the very first coffee-table book on Singaporean artists.  Thankfully, all the artists published continue to be active , validating the simple selection process we adopted.  In later years, artist Thomas Yeo published “Singapore Artists Speak” and two other publications updating the list of reputable Singapore Artists.

Kallang Theatre “Expressions” Competition

At his 7^th one-man show, “Reminiscing Forward” at Sculpture Square on 2 to 24 Oct 2010, sculptor Lim Leong Seng fulfilled an important wish – to replicate and exhibit a life-size (three panels each sized 122cm (H) x 642cm x 5cm) fibre-glass replica of a mural he had created for the Kallang Theatre in the late-80s.

Having started the Cultural Services Division in 1985, it fell to the Division to manage the four theatres – Drama Centre, Singapore Conference Hall Victoria Theatre & Concert Hall. Likewise too, responsibility for the Kallang Theatre that was in the process of being renovated from a cinema into a performing arts theatre.   

Walking through the work site with PWD architect Ruby Lai one day, it dawned on us that art works would make the empty building feel more like an art space. With approval from MCD Minister Wong Kan Seng and sponsorship of $80,000 from ESSO Singapore (courtesy of ESSO Public Affairs team of ESSO CK Lee and Mrs Tay Chui May), we launched the “Expressions” Art Competition in mid-1985 to secure an art scheme for the theatre. A competition was preferred to an art commission as it would give all interested artists a chance at participation and throw up the best concept and at the same time generate publicity for Kallang Theatre.

The key rules of the “Expressions” Competition were that the artwork should express our national aspiration for cultural vibrancy and that the artistic scheme by an artist or a team of artists would unify and envelop the lobbies at all three levels of the Kallang Theatre. The competition carried a first prize of $30,000 and five consolation prizes of $1000.

As we did not know whether our artists could rise to the challenge of creating a concept embracing the theatre’s public spaces on three levels, it was a nerve-wrecking time for the organizers. The entries trickled in and finally, on closing date, we were grateful to receive a total of 24 entries.

The entries were judged by a panel chaired by National Theatre Trust Deputy Chairman Dr Tan It Koon and including artists Choo Keng Kwang and Ng Eng Teng and, interior designer David Tay (who had renovated our History Museum on Stamford Road with Ruby Lai).  As none of the schemes was found suitable for all three levels of the theatre, from a shortlist of eight entries, three artists jointly won the first prize to create art for the theatre with Anthony Poon assigned to the Level 3 lobby, Thomas Tan to Level 2 and Lim Leong Seng to Level 1. The prize money was distributed among the artists.

Renovated at a cost of $24.57m, the made-over Kallang Theatre opened its doors in May 86 in time to house the 1986 Singapore Festival of Arts. The three art works were installed and unveiled the following year.   

When the Kallang Theatre closed a few years ago, the art pieces by Poon and Tan were detached and transferred to the Singapore Art Museum. Unfortunately, Lim’s mural could not be detached and a distraught Lim called me to share the news that his work would be demolished.  

Determined to save his work, he spoke to various people and finally secured some funds from NAC and the Tote Board Art Fund to cover the cost of replication of the mural.  The life-size mural which he aptly named “Expressions” was exhibited in its full glory at Sculpture Square. Lim’s wish will be fully realized when he has interested a corporate organization or art institution to adopt and house “Expressions” on a permanent basis.   

In later years, the same idea to envelop performing arts building with art works inspired me to set up a Committee for Visual Arts in the Esplanade. Unfortunately, my dream was not realized.  IMHO, the LTA takes the cake for art in the environment, for the fantastic art works that fills the MRT stations on the Northeast and Central Lines.

Tisa’s Arts Diary (1986/87)

1987 – With Support from the Straits Times

 

 

1986 – With Support from Standard Chartered Bank

“No!” to “Citi-Art Centre”- a miss for Arts Housing Scheme

Just before I left the Ministry of Community Development in early 1990, we secured the old Hong Lim Community Centre for the Arts Housing Scheme.  The old style community centre in the heart of the CBD had grounds large enough for outdoor visual arts workshops and the installation and exhibition of sculptures. Not wanting it to be fragmented among individual artists, we offered it to the Modern Art Society.

Indrani Nadarajah who had just joined my team alerted me that Citibank Singapore was looking to sponsor an arts project. She arranged a meeting with Citibank’s Steven Howard. Over two meetings, we resolved that Citibank would retrofit the building into a visual arts centre.  They would also fund its operating budget initially, for a three year period, so that staff including a gardener, would maintain the art centre to a standard befitting Citibank’s image.  Citibank’s Chairman would fly in to co-officiate the opening of the centre and they would bring in an original Monet for the occasion.  Their only condition was that the art centre should be named “CitiArt Centre”.

I found the offer far too good to be true and gladly accepted it.  Although we had never give a sponsor naming rights to a building, I felt the name was a clever pun, apt as after all, the centre was in the city centre.  Due for posting to the Ministry of Communications & Information in barely a month, I looked forward to coming back to witness the simple contract-signing cum key hand-over ceremony.

I was most disappointed to hear a few months later that the deal with Citibank fell through.  Someone in the Cultural Affairs Division decided that we should not start a precedent of giving naming rights to a commercial company.   The bank withdrew its offer on the grounds since the Ministry had reneged on its part of the bargain.   I apologised to the bank for inadvertently leading it up a garden path and learnt the important lesson never to strike a deal that I am not in a position to see to conclusion.

esplanade theatres – consultants

The first consultant on the performing art centre project was Richard Brett who was appointed in 1985.  The 1985 invitation to quote hastily put together by Ruby, Tisa and me attracted expression of interest from several theatre designers with “strong track records” and after interviews by the Steering Committee, Richard Brett of Techplan was appointed to the job. We liked his roll up your sleeves “workman- like” attitude. 

TheatreProjects led by David Staples took over the project in the early 1990s when TechPlan amalgamated with TheatreProjects. Richard Brett also stayed on as consultant to the project.  Anne Minors (who now leads Anne Minors Performance Consultants) joined the team.

After the UK tour in 1992, the Steering Committee appointed ARTEC led by the late Russell Johnson to be acoustic consultant to the project.  The Birmingham Concert Hall was an essential stop on the study trip so that DPM Ong Teng Cheong, Minister George Yeo and the PWD specialists could experience the Hall’s acoustics first hand, before finalizing the appointment. Russ was supported by Robert Essert.  

In response to an open architectural competition in 1992, 48 teams of architects pitched to design the centre.  Four teams each led by a Singaporean architect with foreign partners in tow were short-listed for consideration.  After receiving inputs from the Users Advisory Committee, the Steering Committee led DPM Ong Teng Cheong and Minister George Yeo selected the partnership of Michael Wilford Associates and DP Architects to be the designer for the art centre.  Michael Wilford was the associate of renowned UK architect James Stirling who had passed away three months before the award was made. DP Architect was led by Koh Seow Chuan and Gan Eng Oon and the architects I worked most closely were Vikas Gore, Lydia Fong, Moh Yin, Victor.  I also remember Ketna Patel who has since become a notable “Asian pop” artist. 

The members of the team have all moved on to other equally large or even larger iconic projects but I believe no project is as unique as the Esplanade Theatres, for the many interesting personalities working on it and the diversity of views expressed by an arts community which had found a voice on the consultative platform of the Users Advisory Committee and the lively reaction of the public on an iconic public building whether they loved or hated it

arts projects kick-started / sponsored by Singapore Cultural Foundation

• Annual Play-writing Competition
• Arts Resource Centre, National Library Reference Section  (now the Performing Arts Library, The Esplanade)
• Chinese Instrumental Music Festival (14-22 Mar 81)
• Emily of Emerald Hill at Edinburgh Festival (Jul /Aug 87)
• National Day Art Fair
• Playwriting Competition
• Royal Danish Ballet Performances (23-25 April 1985)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Short-Story Writing Competition
• Singapore International Jazz Festival (12-30 Sep 82)

• Visit of Gothenburg Orchestra (Feb 87)
• Words into Print Scheme
• ……
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