Strange Mural at Holland Drive Food Center

[macrosszero]

On 6/22/2024 at 8:30 PM, Wind30 said:

My main beef is that the picture is done by an American…

street art by the virtue that is it in a public space, everybody who passes by will see it, should be a reflection of local singaporean artists. 

Everyone reacts to art differently, my first look I thought this samsui women looks different, more westernised, more sultry. Then I look at the artist….

I am very pro ft in general because of my work in tech, but I thought street art 99% are local… who hires a foreign artist to paint their city??

I’m sorry but how shallow can you be?

Every artist has their own style anns signature and did him being not a Singaporean prejudice your opinion?

Have you seen a Samsui woman yourself? If you have not - you’re equally qualified as him to portray what she should look like.

The older ones among us still remember seeing these ladies, but they didn’t come over in their 40s or 50s - but in their youth much like the FDWs you see today, fresh and innocent but ending up tanned and strong because that was the job they had committed to do.

Today we have Indians and Bangladeshi building our homes but between them and the Samsui women are the South Koreans and the Thais - maybe you remember them?

 

[Wind30]

On 6/22/2024 at 9:59 PM, macrosszero said:

I’m sorry but how shallow can you be?

Every artist has their own style anns signature and did him being not a Singaporean prejudice your opinion?

Have you seen a Samsui woman yourself? If you have not - you’re equally qualified as him to portray what she should look like.

The older ones among us still remember seeing these ladies, but they didn’t come over in their 40s or 50s - but in their youth much like the FDWs you see today, fresh and innocent but ending up tanned and strong because that was the job they had committed to do.

Today we have Indians and Bangladeshi building our homes but between them and the Samsui women are the South Koreans and the Thais - maybe you remember them?

 

…. Err why am I shallow? I have not in anyway criticised the American artist painting. I already write I saw the picture before seeing who the artist is, obviously since the pic is so big….

my main beef, if you actually read my post, is whether we should hire foreign artists to paint our city walls. If we want a publicly displayed portrait of samsui woman, shouldn’t a local artist interpretation be more fitting?

When I visited Glasgow, I really liked the street art there… I just checked the artist and he is Scottish , not American nor singaporean… common sense lah.

Edited June 22, 2024 by Wind30

[Sosaria]

On 6/22/2024 at 9:13 PM, Volvobrick said:

Colonial mentality still exists lah....

Probably arts students in local institutions can do a better job catering to local cultural acceptance and taste.

Pinkerton syndrome. Remember that line from some local comedy movie, "Ang moh say one must be right"

Such thinking prevail at the highest level as well as evidenced by how govt keep emphasizing we have lack of talent locally. This mindset naturally pervades down to all the ministries and agencies. Despite the fact that our students top the PISA world rankings and this year, in creativity as well!

 

[Volvobrick]

On 6/23/2024 at 8:16 AM, Sosaria said:

Pinkerton syndrome. Remember that line from some local comedy movie, "Ang moh say one must be right"

Such thinking prevail at the highest level as well as evidenced by how govt keep emphasizing we have lack of talent locally. This mindset naturally pervades down to all the ministries and agencies. Despite the fact that our students top the PISA world rankings and this year, in creativity as well!

 

How cum no ang moh ministars? No wonder our economy grows at 1 to 2% only! Local CMI?

[mersaylee]

On 6/23/2024 at 8:37 AM, Volvobrick said:

How cum no ang moh ministars? No wonder our economy grows at 1 to 2% only! Local CMI?

Wat do u tink...even not ready for 打满...😁

Back to art...if not kena yellow card...

We're a cosmopolitan city...everyone should be given a fair chance to express...many ways or options...but only if ah gong allowed...need so many peeps to submit a letter of appeal meh...? I tink our system no allow...

...oh art...i like the stylistic of the painting...but yah...agree...ciggy not appropriate...with all the nays about smoking...then wat...vape...medical or recreational 妈里娃娜? The buck betterer to stop somewhere...just my narrow opinion...ok if it stays or gone...checking out soon anyway...no eye see liao...😁

[inlinesix]

On 6/23/2024 at 8:16 AM, Sosaria said:

Pinkerton syndrome. Remember that line from some local comedy movie, "Ang moh say one must be right"

Such thinking prevail at the highest level as well as evidenced by how govt keep emphasizing we have lack of talent locally. This mindset naturally pervades down to all the ministries and agencies. Despite the fact that our students top the PISA world rankings and this year, in creativity as well!

 

 

[inlinesix]

On 6/23/2024 at 8:16 AM, Sosaria said:

Pinkerton syndrome. Remember that line from some local comedy movie, "Ang moh say one must be right"

Such thinking prevail at the highest level as well as evidenced by how govt keep emphasizing we have lack of talent locally. This mindset naturally pervades down to all the ministries and agencies. Despite the fact that our students top the PISA world rankings and this year, in creativity as well!

I wonder how many of our local do wall paintings in this heat?
Both of you nvr check his portfolio.

 

[Atonchia]

On 6/22/2024 at 2:09 PM, Stary said:

I saw a standing lamp.  Like those in ikea.  I thought it was quite clear  

Is there suppose to be something else?? 

 

On 6/22/2024 at 2:22 PM, mersaylee said:

I see some bushes...on the bottom...right...😁

 

This was how the lights at east coast park use to look like.

All round shape... 

And definitely can see Lotsa bushes at ECP🤣

[Atonchia]

I see nothing wrong with the mural..

The person saying the samsui woman is prostitute is plain stupid.

Wearing the head gear meant samsui woman... If wearing Cheong sam and show half ball cleavage+ smoking maybe can say mama san... 

 

Then construction workers with muscular body must be gigolo already

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/crowd-cheer-as-migrant-workers-flex-their-muscles-at-bodybuilding-championship-in-singapore

 

 

[Jamesc]

Art is never going to be to everyone taste.

Don't like no need to make such a big fuss lah.

Some people have such a small mentally.

[Jamesc]

I don't know why Europeans like to paint fat naked ladies but I just see and don't criticize lah.

Not my cup of green tea but I let other people appreciate lah.

[macrosszero]

It’s xenophobic to assume that a foreigner cannot know more about a local in any given subject. They may have made it the focus of their subject matter expertise.

On the other hand, said foreigner, having not lived here all their lives, would not have the breadth of experiences of what it means to be a Singaporean. 

However, Singaporeans growing up in different generations - Pioneer, Merdeka, boomers and so on, will all have a different experience on what it means to be Singaporean.

Whatever it is, I would not take nationality as a pivotal consideration in judging whether the artist is qualified to his art piece.

[Sosaria]

On 6/23/2024 at 12:21 PM, Jamesc said:

I don't know why Europeans like to paint fat naked ladies but I just see and don't criticize lah.

Not my cup of green tea but I let other people appreciate lah.

Exactly! Art is art. Some of us may not appreciate doesn't mean it must be edited to our taste. That's why URA entertaining the initial public complaint, is idiotic.

[Sosaria]

On 6/23/2024 at 1:19 PM, macrosszero said:

It’s xenophobic to assume that a foreigner cannot know more about a local in any given subject. They may have made it the focus of their subject matter expertise.

On the other hand, said foreigner, having not lived here all their lives, would not have the breadth of experiences of what it means to be a Singaporean. 

However, Singaporeans growing up in different generations - Pioneer, Merdeka, boomers and so on, will all have a different experience on what it means to be Singaporean.

Whatever it is, I would not take nationality as a pivotal consideration in judging whether the artist is qualified to his art piece.

Would say the art space in their (western, white) home countries is very crowded and there are many renowned talents, strong competition. So those ..errr.... not so successful ones will come to asia where they get some cred for their "foreign-ness". This is typical track for most expat "expert" here imho, having worked with many "consultants" in my job.

Anyone has similar experience?

 

Edited June 23, 2024 by Sosaria

[Jamesc]

On 6/23/2024 at 3:14 PM, Sosaria said:

Would say the art space in their (western, white) home countries is very crowded and there are many renowned talents, strong competition. So those ..errr.... not so successful ones will come to asia where they get some cred for their "foreign-ness". This is typical track for most expat "expert" here imho, having worked with many "consultants" in my job.

Anyone has similar experience?

 

Art director!

Cannot make it in US and EU there is always Indonesia.

[Jamesc]

Foreigner that knows more than locals?

US satellite told Indo about illegal foreign logging.

Maybe even Brazil.

I have to more places in Japan than many Japanese.

I know very little about Samsui women.

I guess many never got married and had kids?

I don't recall anyone saying their grandmother was a Samsui woman.

[Jellandross]

On 6/22/2024 at 7:16 PM, inlinesix said:

Prata liao

 

Many old samsui women lived in my estate when I was a kid. Smoking is definitely a common pastime among them so this is historically accurate for sure.

解释为了掩饰 URA spring into action based on one complaint from some ah cat ah dog member of public?

Edited June 23, 2024 by Jellandross

[macrosszero]

Back to the topic at hand:

https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/article-detail?cmsuuid=22e8b6c7-7f0e-453a-a3dd-9e2f6a028bf3
 

which describes them being prickly and tough individuals and smoking during their downtime, storing cigarettes among other belongings in their headgear and rarely marrying in Singapore or outside of their Samsui circles. With the article being written in 2014 I guess the entire generation is likely to have passed on.