Speech by RADM (NS) Lui Tuck Yew, Senior Minister of State for Education, and Information, Communications and the Arts at the Opening of the Japan Media Arts Festival in Singapore 2008 Exhibition

Speech by RADM (NS) Lui Tuck Yew, Senior Minister of State for Education, and Information, Communications and the Arts at the Opening of the Japan Media Arts Festival in Singapore 2008 Exhibition

Dr. Tamotsu Aoki, Commissioner, Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japan

Mr. Hiroaki Isobe, Deputy Chief of Mission and Minister, Embassy of Japan

Ms Jane Ittogi, Chair of Singapore Art Museum

Artists and supporters of the museum

Distinguished guests

Ladies and gentlemen

1. Good evening.
2. In August this year, I had the pleasure of officiating the opening of 8Q, the Singapore Art Museum's new contemporary art wing. Today, I am delighted to be back here once again on the occasion of the opening of the Japan Media Arts Festival in Singapore 2008.
   
   

   Vibrant visual arts scene

3. Singapore enjoys a vibrant visual arts scene. The Japan Media Arts Festival adds to a strong lineup of visual arts events and festivals in Singapore through its annual showcase of cutting-edge new media arts with a strong focus on Japanese culture. We warmly welcome the exhibition to Singapore on its maiden voyage to this region, and we are happy to play host to this exhibition at 8Q, in keeping with the museum's aim of presenting contemporary art and art practices from the region.
4. Japanese pop culture wields great influence in the social sphere today. Japanese anime, manga and entertainment systems such as game consoles are hugely popular and successful the world over, and many Singaporeans too have long been enchanted. I have no doubt that this exhibition will prove delightful to the many fans of Japanese contemporary culture. It will also be an eye-opener for many in terms of the cutting-edge technology employed to create the artworks, and the boundless creativity and innovation of the artists featured here.
   
   

   Collaboration between Japan and Singapore

5. The Japan Media Arts Festival is an excellent example of the arts and cultural collaboration and interaction between Japan and Singapore. At the recently-concluded Singapore Biennale 2008, the artworks of four Japanese artists were featured, including the internationally-acclaimed Shigeru Ban. He created the Containart Pavilion, an architectural structure constructed using 150 twenty-foot long shipping containers along with 34 ten-metre recyclable paper tubes. The pavilion housed three of the Biennale's largest indoor installations, and was a fascinating sight.
6. I am delighted to note that towards the end of next year, more Singaporeans will have even greater access to Japanese arts and culture with the establishment of the Japan Creative Centre in Singapore. A collaboration between our two countries, the Japan Creative Centre will be the first of its kind outside Japan, functioning as a culture and information centre that showcases contemporary Japan. This Centre will allow Singapore to experience more of Japan's media arts through its exhibits of design, music and movie, anime, manga and more.
7. Our joint collaboration extends to a number of different areas.  For example, to nurture and encourage Singaporeans to build skill sets in animation, the Media Development Authority (MDA) has forged a close relationship with Tokyo Broadcasting System Television, Inc., or TBS. TBS is one of MDA's key strategic partners.  Since 2006, MDA and TBS have co-organised the Singapore leg of the Digicon 6, a regional digital content competition for promising creators, both professionals and amateurs.
8. In the area of film, the first Japan-Singapore co-production film, Thunder Boys - collaboration among Singapore's Mediatribe, Shooting Gallery Asia and Japan's Adways Entertainment Co. - was one of the nine projects that were recently awarded grants from the Singapore Film Commission's (SFC's) "New Feature Film Fund".  In the years ahead, I am hopeful that we can look forward to more successful partnerships in many different areas between our respective industries.
   
   

   Conclusion

9. Ladies and gentlemen, the element of playfulness and audience engagement that characterises the work on show here is an invitation to all of us to put aside our pragmatism for a moment, and enter beguiling worlds of fantasy, or environments that challenge our conventional perceptions. The Japan Media Arts Festival shows us that art, and museums, can be vehicles for enjoyment, aesthetic appreciation, as well as learning and experience.
10. It is my pleasure to now officially open the Japan Media Arts Festival in Singapore 2008 exhibition. I wish all of you many hours of enjoyment as you take in the fascinating works on display.
11. Thank you.