"Commentary: Outrage over Jingapore exposes an unimaginative and rigid Singapore
SINGAPORE: The Land Transport Authority (LTA) recently found itself sucked into a vortex of vitriol and it had nothing to do with trains or buses.
It had to do with, of all things, art.
LTA had put up plaques describing the art work to accompany local artist Jing Quek’s collages installed at Tampines West and Tampines East MRT stations as part of its Art in Transit programme.
Welcome to Jingapore featured images of people, places and objects found near the stations. Among the many words on the plaques, the one that screamed the loudest for many Singaporeans was “Jingapore”, which many saw as a misspelling of “Singapore”.
Bewildered commuters posted pictures of the plaques saying that they were “disrespectful”, “shameful”, and made Singapore “look bad”, among other things.
LTA later explained the wordplay behind Jingapore: A combination of his name Jing and Singapore, an attempt by the artist to “portray Singapore through his eyes”."
I m NOT sure the conclusion that Singaporeans lost the ability to "see" beyond obvious right or wrong is correct.
Of course, LTA, supposedly removed the "Jingapore" word is silly as it should just explain it's original link between the artist's name n Singapore! That's all thst is needed seriously!! Put up a note if need be next to the Jingapore is necessary! Yes?
As for stifling of creativity in theatre n drama n other arts forms, I m not sure it has to do with oppressive n unenlightened education. True artistic talent cannot be taught! Technique can be taught though not the originality. Association, extension, reversal, rotations n other variations can also be taught or even computerised. Still, original thoughts cannot be taught for arts, n almost many other sphere of life/actions.
What can stiffle creativity is the refusal to allow diversity of original thoughts n arts to surface, debated before deciding to keep, adapt or stop.
That is what will kill creativity.
Singapore it shall be as long as we know it is NOT a mis-spelling!
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