To be fair, the government has invested considerable efforts and money in cultural development over the last few decades. The bill for the Esplanade - Theatres On The Bay alone is $600 million. The National Arts Council also deserves praise for being much more generous now in sponsoring performances, exhibitions and publications.
Yes, money makes the world go around. The availability of funds is a must in promoting the arts and culture. Yet money is not the only answer. The mentality of the nouveau-riche - money will buy us the arts that we want - is an attitude that we should guard against.
Sure, money can buy the artworks of late master painters such as Xu Beihong, Qi Baishi and Li Keran, but can you use it to “clone” Xu Beihong, Qi Baishi or Li Keran？ And if you neither appreciate nor treasure Xu Beihong's famous paintings of horses, you might as well buy some real horses instead.
An arts centre that offers state-of-the-art equipment can make Singapore a world-class venue for cultural events, but not a city that can create and produce world-class art performances. Likewise, you can pay a few million dollars for a much-sought-after violin but this will not turn you into a renowned violinist. A dearth of local talent, a reliance on imports and being contented as a venue for cultural activities are indications that what we lack is not money, but a vision and a good grasp of what is needed to promote the arts.
Not only should officials who are responsible for nurturing the arts and culture understand arts production, but they should also know how to make sure that money is well spent.
They should thus be receptive to the views of artists. There are two reasons for this.
Firstly, artists are experts in their field. They can tell a good production from a bad one and will not miss out on a gem. The key is to seek expert opinion before the die is cast as what is done cannot be undone.
Secondly, thrift is a habit of outstanding artists. A master painter will not draw more lines or use more colours than necessary. A great poet will also not use a single redundant word.
You can argue that this habit may not extend beyond artistic pursuit. The truth is that there are few well-off Singaporean artists. By and large, they live a frugal and simple life and are not given to extravagance. In fact, they are more likely to help save rather than spend money.
The Chinese saying that “it takes 10 years to grow trees but 100 years to nurture a generation of good men” which highlights the process and importance of education is equally applicable to the development of the arts and culture. We should not attempt to hasten the pace and hope for quick success. A conducive and supportive environment is needed to produce talent in the arts.
Our key weakness is that an overall environment where Singaporeans love and respect the arts has not been created. Now that we have the resources, we must make sure that we also have the vision and knowledge to use them in a way that will produce the desired results.
As for according artists the respect they deserve, we have yet to develop a system that will provide them with a stable life that allows them to make full use of their potential and creativity. Our society is still obsessed with the number of “A”s one can score in examinations. Even if we had a little “Beethoven” among us, he probably would have been thoroughly demoralised when he failed to get any “A” in examinations. In a system that tests the ability to pass examinations with flying colours, I wonder how many creative cells have been destroyed.
（The writer is a correspondent of Lianhe Zaobao. Translated by Yap Gee Poh.）
公平地講,近十幾來(lái)年,我國(guó)政府在文化建設(shè)方面出力不算小,花錢不算少。旁的不說(shuō),單單建濱海藝術(shù)中心就投入6億元。國(guó)家藝術(shù)理事會(huì)出錢贊助演出、展出與出書,也比過(guò)去慷慨,值得來(lái)個(gè)掌聲鼓勵(lì)。
現(xiàn)在常聽(tīng)人說(shuō)錢多好辦事,要發(fā)展文化藝術(shù),沒(méi)錢是萬(wàn)萬(wàn)不能,但也別以為有了錢就什么都能?！袄献佑绣X,還怕沒(méi)有好的藝術(shù)？”這是一種暴發(fā)戶心態(tài),我們要警惕與防止的就是這種心態(tài)。
你有的是錢,徐悲鴻的奔馬,齊白石的小蝦,李可染的水牛,你統(tǒng)統(tǒng)可以買下來(lái),沒(méi)錯(cuò)。但你只能買到人家的產(chǎn)品,不能用錢造個(gè)徐悲鴻、齊白石、李可染出來(lái)?；ㄥX買來(lái)外國(guó)名家的作品,如果不會(huì)欣賞,又不懂得珍惜,擁有幾幅徐悲鴻的奔馬,還不如養(yǎng)幾匹真馬。
有了世界設(shè)備一流的藝術(shù)中心,可以使我們成為世界一流的文化碼頭,但那絕不等于擁有世界一流的藝術(shù)。你可以花幾百萬(wàn)元買一把世界一流的小提琴,但你不會(huì)因此就自動(dòng)成為世界一流的小提琴家。缺乏本土產(chǎn)品,老是靠進(jìn)口,滿足于文化碼頭的地位,這說(shuō)明我們不缺錢,缺的是遠(yuǎn)見(jiàn),缺的是對(duì)藝術(shù)規(guī)律的了解。
發(fā)展文化藝術(shù),負(fù)責(zé)的人不僅要了解創(chuàng)作的藝術(shù),還要懂得花錢的藝術(shù),什么錢該花,什么錢不該花,要有個(gè)原則,要按照藝術(shù)規(guī)律辦事。
這方面,不能不多聽(tīng)藝術(shù)家的意見(jiàn),理由有二：一、畢竟人家是內(nèi)行,會(huì)分別什么是寶什么是草,也不會(huì)走寶。聽(tīng)取意見(jiàn)在事前,不要在事后。生米已經(jīng)煮成熟飯了,叫達(dá)芬奇再世也沒(méi)法把熟飯變回生米。
二、優(yōu)秀的藝術(shù)家都善于節(jié)約。高明的畫家不會(huì)畫多余的線條,也不會(huì)亂加不必要的顏色；高明的詩(shī)人用字非?！傲邌荨?詩(shī)里頭多一個(gè)字都不行。
當(dāng)然你可以說(shuō),藝術(shù)創(chuàng)作上善于節(jié)約,不等于做任何事都懂得節(jié)約。但我要說(shuō)新加坡的藝術(shù)家沒(méi)幾個(gè)是大富大貴的,一般上生活都十分儉樸,粗茶淡飯過(guò)日子,奢侈浪費(fèi)不是他們的長(zhǎng)處。讓他們教你怎么花錢,實(shí)際上是教你怎么樣省錢。
古語(yǔ)說(shuō)十年樹木,百年樹人,說(shuō)的是教育事業(yè),其實(shí)文化建設(shè)也一樣,不妨說(shuō)“十年樹木,百年樹文”。文化藝術(shù)事業(yè)不能拔苗助長(zhǎng),不能急于求成。尤其是藝術(shù)人才的培養(yǎng),講究的是良好的氣候與土壤。
新加坡發(fā)展藝術(shù)的弱點(diǎn)是：我們還沒(méi)有在全民當(dāng)中營(yíng)造愛(ài)好藝術(shù),尊重藝術(shù)家的大氣候。新加坡的藝術(shù)土壤不肥沃,我們現(xiàn)在有了錢可以施肥,但金錢本身不是肥料,花錢買肥料,沒(méi)有眼光,會(huì)買錯(cuò)肥料,沒(méi)有知識(shí),會(huì)用錯(cuò)肥料,將肥料變成廢料。
再說(shuō)說(shuō)尊重藝術(shù)家。我們現(xiàn)在還沒(méi)有建立一個(gè)讓藝術(shù)家生活安定,并充分發(fā)揮才華的機(jī)制,整個(gè)社會(huì)仍舊籠罩在兩眼只看會(huì)考多少個(gè)“A”的氣氛中。如果我們有個(gè)小貝多芬,叫他參加會(huì)考,他很可能會(huì)被“烤”到體無(wú)完膚,一個(gè)“A”也拿不到。在這種考你會(huì)不會(huì)“考”的體制下,不知多少個(gè)藝術(shù)細(xì)胞被扼殺。
Yes, money makes the world go around. The availability of funds is a must in promoting the arts and culture. Yet money is not the only answer. The mentality of the nouveau-riche - money will buy us the arts that we want - is an attitude that we should guard against.
Sure, money can buy the artworks of late master painters such as Xu Beihong, Qi Baishi and Li Keran, but can you use it to “clone” Xu Beihong, Qi Baishi or Li Keran？ And if you neither appreciate nor treasure Xu Beihong's famous paintings of horses, you might as well buy some real horses instead.
An arts centre that offers state-of-the-art equipment can make Singapore a world-class venue for cultural events, but not a city that can create and produce world-class art performances. Likewise, you can pay a few million dollars for a much-sought-after violin but this will not turn you into a renowned violinist. A dearth of local talent, a reliance on imports and being contented as a venue for cultural activities are indications that what we lack is not money, but a vision and a good grasp of what is needed to promote the arts.
Not only should officials who are responsible for nurturing the arts and culture understand arts production, but they should also know how to make sure that money is well spent.
They should thus be receptive to the views of artists. There are two reasons for this.
Firstly, artists are experts in their field. They can tell a good production from a bad one and will not miss out on a gem. The key is to seek expert opinion before the die is cast as what is done cannot be undone.
Secondly, thrift is a habit of outstanding artists. A master painter will not draw more lines or use more colours than necessary. A great poet will also not use a single redundant word.
You can argue that this habit may not extend beyond artistic pursuit. The truth is that there are few well-off Singaporean artists. By and large, they live a frugal and simple life and are not given to extravagance. In fact, they are more likely to help save rather than spend money.
The Chinese saying that “it takes 10 years to grow trees but 100 years to nurture a generation of good men” which highlights the process and importance of education is equally applicable to the development of the arts and culture. We should not attempt to hasten the pace and hope for quick success. A conducive and supportive environment is needed to produce talent in the arts.
Our key weakness is that an overall environment where Singaporeans love and respect the arts has not been created. Now that we have the resources, we must make sure that we also have the vision and knowledge to use them in a way that will produce the desired results.
As for according artists the respect they deserve, we have yet to develop a system that will provide them with a stable life that allows them to make full use of their potential and creativity. Our society is still obsessed with the number of “A”s one can score in examinations. Even if we had a little “Beethoven” among us, he probably would have been thoroughly demoralised when he failed to get any “A” in examinations. In a system that tests the ability to pass examinations with flying colours, I wonder how many creative cells have been destroyed.
（The writer is a correspondent of Lianhe Zaobao. Translated by Yap Gee Poh.）
公平地講,近十幾來(lái)年,我國(guó)政府在文化建設(shè)方面出力不算小,花錢不算少。旁的不說(shuō),單單建濱海藝術(shù)中心就投入6億元。國(guó)家藝術(shù)理事會(huì)出錢贊助演出、展出與出書,也比過(guò)去慷慨,值得來(lái)個(gè)掌聲鼓勵(lì)。
現(xiàn)在常聽(tīng)人說(shuō)錢多好辦事,要發(fā)展文化藝術(shù),沒(méi)錢是萬(wàn)萬(wàn)不能,但也別以為有了錢就什么都能?！袄献佑绣X,還怕沒(méi)有好的藝術(shù)？”這是一種暴發(fā)戶心態(tài),我們要警惕與防止的就是這種心態(tài)。
你有的是錢,徐悲鴻的奔馬,齊白石的小蝦,李可染的水牛,你統(tǒng)統(tǒng)可以買下來(lái),沒(méi)錯(cuò)。但你只能買到人家的產(chǎn)品,不能用錢造個(gè)徐悲鴻、齊白石、李可染出來(lái)?；ㄥX買來(lái)外國(guó)名家的作品,如果不會(huì)欣賞,又不懂得珍惜,擁有幾幅徐悲鴻的奔馬,還不如養(yǎng)幾匹真馬。
有了世界設(shè)備一流的藝術(shù)中心,可以使我們成為世界一流的文化碼頭,但那絕不等于擁有世界一流的藝術(shù)。你可以花幾百萬(wàn)元買一把世界一流的小提琴,但你不會(huì)因此就自動(dòng)成為世界一流的小提琴家。缺乏本土產(chǎn)品,老是靠進(jìn)口,滿足于文化碼頭的地位,這說(shuō)明我們不缺錢,缺的是遠(yuǎn)見(jiàn),缺的是對(duì)藝術(shù)規(guī)律的了解。
發(fā)展文化藝術(shù),負(fù)責(zé)的人不僅要了解創(chuàng)作的藝術(shù),還要懂得花錢的藝術(shù),什么錢該花,什么錢不該花,要有個(gè)原則,要按照藝術(shù)規(guī)律辦事。
這方面,不能不多聽(tīng)藝術(shù)家的意見(jiàn),理由有二：一、畢竟人家是內(nèi)行,會(huì)分別什么是寶什么是草,也不會(huì)走寶。聽(tīng)取意見(jiàn)在事前,不要在事后。生米已經(jīng)煮成熟飯了,叫達(dá)芬奇再世也沒(méi)法把熟飯變回生米。
二、優(yōu)秀的藝術(shù)家都善于節(jié)約。高明的畫家不會(huì)畫多余的線條,也不會(huì)亂加不必要的顏色；高明的詩(shī)人用字非?！傲邌荨?詩(shī)里頭多一個(gè)字都不行。
當(dāng)然你可以說(shuō),藝術(shù)創(chuàng)作上善于節(jié)約,不等于做任何事都懂得節(jié)約。但我要說(shuō)新加坡的藝術(shù)家沒(méi)幾個(gè)是大富大貴的,一般上生活都十分儉樸,粗茶淡飯過(guò)日子,奢侈浪費(fèi)不是他們的長(zhǎng)處。讓他們教你怎么花錢,實(shí)際上是教你怎么樣省錢。
古語(yǔ)說(shuō)十年樹木,百年樹人,說(shuō)的是教育事業(yè),其實(shí)文化建設(shè)也一樣,不妨說(shuō)“十年樹木,百年樹文”。文化藝術(shù)事業(yè)不能拔苗助長(zhǎng),不能急于求成。尤其是藝術(shù)人才的培養(yǎng),講究的是良好的氣候與土壤。
新加坡發(fā)展藝術(shù)的弱點(diǎn)是：我們還沒(méi)有在全民當(dāng)中營(yíng)造愛(ài)好藝術(shù),尊重藝術(shù)家的大氣候。新加坡的藝術(shù)土壤不肥沃,我們現(xiàn)在有了錢可以施肥,但金錢本身不是肥料,花錢買肥料,沒(méi)有眼光,會(huì)買錯(cuò)肥料,沒(méi)有知識(shí),會(huì)用錯(cuò)肥料,將肥料變成廢料。
再說(shuō)說(shuō)尊重藝術(shù)家。我們現(xiàn)在還沒(méi)有建立一個(gè)讓藝術(shù)家生活安定,并充分發(fā)揮才華的機(jī)制,整個(gè)社會(huì)仍舊籠罩在兩眼只看會(huì)考多少個(gè)“A”的氣氛中。如果我們有個(gè)小貝多芬,叫他參加會(huì)考,他很可能會(huì)被“烤”到體無(wú)完膚,一個(gè)“A”也拿不到。在這種考你會(huì)不會(huì)“考”的體制下,不知多少個(gè)藝術(shù)細(xì)胞被扼殺。