Is graffiti art?
The question of whether graffiti is an innovative art form or a public nuisance has aroused much debate. Graffiti can be understood as antisocial behaviour performed illegally, rooted in crime, delinquency, and rebellion against authority. It also can be understood as an expressive art form, depending on who you ask.
English graffiti artist and international prankster Banksy has managed to become one of the world’s most recognized artists while remaining relatively anonymous.
Balloon Girl (2018)
Image credits: https://www.theartstory.org/artist/banksy/
In October 2018, Banksy’s iconic image of Balloon Girl, featuring a young girl letting go of a heart-shaped balloon as a beacon of innocent hope, was sold during a Sotheby’s auction for 1.04 million pounds.
The moment it was pronounced “sold,” a strange alarm sounded from within the painting’s frame, its trigger source unknown. Immediately, the painting started to descend down through its bottom, which turned out to be a shredding mechanism. Although the painting was supposed to shred fully as Banksy later admitted, the device stopped working, leaving half the painting intact in the frame.
Banksy posted a video of the shredding with the words “Going, going, gone” on his Instagram page, leading people to believe he had planted a subversive ally in the auction room. But he removed the video promptly, after it had successfully winked at his social media audience.
The female buyer decided to keep the work, newly retitled Love is in the Bin, as it was now the subject of a grand scandal, the only artwork created at a live auction in history.
Banksy would go on to release a video showing how the shredder was installed into the frame upon its creation, stating it was purposefully crafted in case the work ever made it to auction. His reasoning came in the form of the quote: “The urge to destroy is also a creative urge.”
Witness the unexpected and dramatic moment here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZ9PAoKvqX8
See more of Banksy’s work here: https://www.theartstory.org/artist/banksy/
Look at the images below. Do you think they are acts of vandalism or art? Provide your reasons to support your answer. Click on the source links to find out whether they are creative output or vandalism.
Image 1:
Image 2: 
Image 3: 
Image 4:
Coloring the Streets of Singapore
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtbabaQI3u8 (2.37 mins)
Art Coco: Singapore’s Sticker Lady
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcgxYNsCkXY (4.41 mins)
AR.T Trail In Transit | Singapore Art Week 2022 | Behind-The-Scenes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRhxS3nml5Y (5.31 mins)
Witness the unexpected and dramatic moment here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZ9PAoKvqX8
Art in Singapore
Public art is visual art that enlivens the environment, engages the community and stimulates conversations in the public space. However, as art is subjective, what one person considers as art can be considered as vandalism.
In Singapore, only commissioned artists can create art in the public space. According to the Vandalism Act in Singapore, if you have not gained permission from the relevant authorities, any one of the actions below will be considered as acts of vandalism:
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(i) |
writing, drawing, painting, marking or inscribing on any public property or private property any word, slogan, caricature, drawing, mark, symbol or other thing; |
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(ii) |
affixing, posting up or displaying on any public property or private property any poster, placard, advertisement, bill, notice, paper or other document; or |
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(iii) |
hanging, suspending, hoisting, affixing or displaying on or from any public property or private property any flag, bunting, standard, banner or the like with any word, slogan, caricature, drawing, mark, symbol or other thing; or |
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stealing, destroying or damaging any public property; |
Read more about the Vandalism Act in Singapore here: https://sso.agc.gov.sg/Act/VA1966
Vandalism is a serious offence in Singapore. Here are some examples of vandalism cases in Singapore.
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Year |
Description |
Consequences |
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1994
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An American student who was studying in the Singapore American School hit the global headlines when he was caned for damaging cars and public property.
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He was sentenced to four months in jail, slapped with a $3,500 fine and given six strokes of the cane.
Former American President Clinton appealed to then-Singapore President Ong Teng Cheong for clemency and the Singapore Government reduced the teen’s punishment from six strokes to four.
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2010
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A Swiss national and British man trespassed SMRT’s Changi depot. They apparently spray-painted the train with the words “McKoy Banos” – the signature tag of two graffiti artists believed to have spray-painted trains around the world.
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One was sentenced to seven months in jail and three strokes of the cane while his accomplice remains at large. Singapore has issued an arrest warrant for the accomplice. |
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2012 |
A 25-year-old street artist sprayed the words “My Grandfather Road” on Maxwell Road and Robinson Road. The artist also pasted circular stickers at public spaces, including traffic-light junctions.
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The street artist was arrested and served 240 hours of community service. There was an online wave of support for the Singaporean artist because people viewed the actions as creative art that reflect Singapore’s culture and identity. However, the police maintained that what was done was an offence according to the law. In addition, considerable time, effort and cost also had to be deployed to clean up the roads and affected areas.
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2013 |
A security guard committed the offence at the Esplanade Park at Connaught Drive at about 11.10pm on April 23. Using a can of spray paint, he wrote the word “DEMOCRACY'” and marked an “X” on the Cenotaph which was built in built in 1922 and is dedicated to Singaporeans who died in the two world wars. |
He was sentenced to three months’ jail and the minimum three strokes of the cane. He also ordered to pay $208 compensation to the State for the cost of repair. When confronted by eyewitnesses, the security guard argued that his graffiti was art and a revolution.
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2014 |
Five 18-years-old Singaporean teenagers stole four cans of spray paint from a lorry at a carpark and spray-painted graffiti on Toa Payoh rooftops. It included expletives directed against a local political party. |
24 months of probation, 180 hours of community service, stay indoors from 10pm to 6am and electronically tagged for six months.
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2015
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Two young German men in their early twenties trespassed the Bishan train depot where they spray painted graffiti measuring 1.8m in height and 10m in length on a train carriage. |
Nine months in jail and three strokes of the cane for vandalising an MRT train.
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2017
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Laselle student used removable gold foil and made the grey staircases of her HDB block gold. It was part of the student’s final-year project. |
Jalan Besar Town Council stated that the act was unauthorized but there was no action to remove the gold foil. Jalan Besar GRC MP Lily Neo said the town council appreciated her work and hoped there will be more spaces for creative expressions. The student voluntarily removed all the gold foil other than a small square of gold foil. She insisted that it was art and not vandalism. |
Street art brings art to places where everyone and anyone can appreciate and this experience is different from going to an art gallery. In Singapore, there are many locations that display beautiful street arts available for everyone to access.
These places are not only highly ‘Instagrammable’ but these wall murals can be a rich place of cultural heritage. If you want to find out more, grab your grandparents, friends and family members and check out some places mentioned in the websites below:
- https://www.timeout.com/singapore/art/the-best-urban-art-trails-in-singapore
- https://www.mstravelsolo.com/wall-murals-in-singapore/
- https://travelforlifenow.com/street-art-singapore-haji-lane-street-art/#:~:text=Singapore%20has%20a%20street%20art,requires%20approval%20from%20the%20government
- https://www.visitsingapore.com/editorials/art-hunting-on-singapore-streets/
- https://nowboarding.changiairport.com/live-local/the-best-spots-in-singapore-to-see-graffiti—mural-street-art.html
There are many forms of arts such as graphic design, theatre studies, photography etc…
Which form(s) of art do you have an interest in?
Sources:
- https://sso.agc.gov.sg/Act/VA1966
- https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/from-the-straits-times-archives-vandalism-cases-in-singapore
- https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/art-student-returns-golden-staircase-to-grey-concrete
- https://www.dictionary.com/e/street-art-vs-graffiti/
- https://www.timeout.com/singapore/art/where-to-find-street-art-in-singapore
- https://www.theartstory.org/artist/banksy/
