Feathers were ruffled in the Singapore arts community when a circular Ping Pong table (aka Table Tennis), similar to Singapore artist Lee Wen’s art, PingPongGoRound, was spotted at the Singapore Sports Hub.
The artist was alerted by a fellow artist who took a photo of the table tennis table. The said table was not by the artist, nor was the artist commissioned nor credited for it. Ping Pong Hustle, the name of the 300˚ interactive copycat table, was put up by the Singapore South East Asian Games Organising Committee (Singsoc). Singapore Sports Hub denied any knowledge of the artist’s works and promptly removed the table when the media started highlighting it.
PingPongGoAround first debuted in 1998 in Construction in Process VI – The Bridge in Melbourne, Australia and later toured around the world several times. Two versions of the art installation were recently re-enacted in 2012 in the exhibition, “Lee Wen: Lucid Dreams In The Reverie Of The Real” at the Singapore Art Museum.
This incident has shown how ignorant some government sectors and the public are about our art scene. And by being “ignorant”, many claim innocence and try to get away with rights and crediting the artists for infringing their works. Through the decades, artists have been used and abused many times. Not just the fine art artists but other visual artists in the graphic and design scene as well. Ideas are often stolen after being pitched or tendered and even published. Clients who asked for the pitch will eventually hire the cheapest agency but use the best ideas pitched by another agency or designer.
Copycats seem to be the norm, especially in the design and advertising industry. I have seen countless copycats adverts, poster designs, logos and campaigns through my years in the design and advertising industry. Often, the culprits get away as ideas and designs are easily recycled, and the original designers or agencies care less about fighting for credits of their innovative ideas as the fight is time-consuming and financially taxing.
An online vigilante, JOE LA POMPE, has a blog that unmasks copycats in the fine arts, design, and advertising industries worldwide. The blog is a fantastic archive of original and copycat designs that the crusader has spent time sourcing worldwide.
And just last year, American artist Richard Prince created a buzz in the Fine Art industry. The artist blatantly lifted Instagram shots and comments from the individual Instagramer accounts and sold them for thousands of dollars as his artworks at his exhibition, New Portraits at the Gagosian Gallery. The show had garnered criticism from the public, and Instagramers whose images stolen and sold stood up and retaliated.
As fighters and a strong, close-knit community, the practitioners and artists in the Singapore Arts industry have taken a stand and asserted their rights. In this case of Lee Wen vs Singapore Sports Council. The Singapore Arts community gathered together and petitioned for the artist. A letter calling for discourse on intellectual property (IP) and artistic practices, asserting the artist’s rights, was written and sent out by the Singapore arts community. It was published on 9th June 2015 by the Straits Times and on other media.
The letter petitioning for the artist’s rights has garnered attention, and Artitute was informed that the Sports Council, Lee Wen and his gallerist had reached an agreement. Unfortunately, we were not told if any financial compensation was given, but it was a win-win situation for all parties.
Moving forward from this episode, the arts community members are looking at ways to strengthen their understanding of IP and creative practices in Singapore and work towards concrete steps towards preventing such future episodes. The arts community is looking for volunteers to offer pro-bono legal assistance to the artists, to assist in understanding existing laws (local and overseas) and contracts and provide administrative support or help out in other ways. If you would like to help, please drop Artitute an email, and we will forward it to the organiser.
I am glad that the Arts community is initiating these educational sessions. Artists and designers, especially the younger ones, need to be educated about IP Rights. I am not sure if Intellectual and Copyrights Acts are taught in Art institutions (not during my time at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in the 90s). As someone in the design industry for over 15 years, I only came to understand IP Rights while working with my company’s legal advisors. After that, I had better knowledge when I took up the Arts Management course at The Sotheby’s Institute. The module, Intellectual and Copyrights Act, was taught by Mr Samual Seow, a well-known lawyer in Singapore who specialises in IP Rights for Singapore artists. The course empowered me with knowledge of creative rights.
Here is the letter from the Arts Community. And supporting the letter, 229 individuals from the arts community have signed the letter to support their stand.
Call for Discourse on IP and Artistic Practices
We refer to the incident in which a horse shoe-shaped ping-pong table installed at the Sports Hub for the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games carnival resembled the art work “Ping-Pong Go Round” by Cultural Medallion winner Lee Wen.
Lee has stated he was not informed or given credit for the idea. The SEA Games Organising Committee has claimed that there was no intention to infringe on any rights, and that a vendor who was unaware of the similarity proposed the activity.
However, Lee has clarified that a proposal to exhibit this art work in front of the Sports Hub was submitted to both the Minister of Culture, Community and Youth and Sports Hub in 2014. The Minister’s office confirmed receipt of this proposal. Furthermore, since 1998, this installation has toured widely around the world.
We understand the installation has since been dismantled and discussions are currently ongoing between all relevant parties.
We hope that an amicable outcome can be reached so Lee’s art can continue to engage the public. This is a good example of how art can enliven spaces and connect strangers to one another in fun and imaginative ways. Such projects illustrate the endless possibilities art can bring to make Singapore a more attractive place, and should be encouraged.
It is troubling however that due consideration and acknowledgement were not initially given to the artist. We are also concerned that the intellectual property (IP) lawyers consulted in the Straits Times’ article “Ping-pong table too similar to artwork?” (5 June 2015) felt no copyright had been infringed.
This incident highlights the lack of sufficient measures that respect and protect artistic creation in Singapore. In a nation that has been consistently ranked by international surveys as having one of the best IP protection laws in the world, why did this incident occur? Even if it was legal, is it ethical?
This incident raises questions about the environment for creativity and original content creation in Singapore – key outputs desired by national policies that have been calling for Singapore to become a knowledge economy powered by innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship.
Given its importance, we feel that more can be done to encourage, respect and protect content creation. The government has made tremendous efforts in growing and professionalising the arts. Unfortunately, limited understanding of artists’ rights and standard industry practices remains. Capability development and nurturing a culture of creativity means that artists should be given legitimate recognition and reward for the time and effort that they spend on proposing and creating art works, with the assurance that their ideas and creations are protected from plagiarism and imitation.
Moving forward, we hope this incident will inspire more discussion on IP in the arts, and concrete steps can be taken towards according clearer IP protection for arts and cultural workers.
Signed by:
- Aaron Khek Ah Hock
- Abdul Hamid
- Adeline Chia Hui Ting
- Adeline Kueh
- Adrian Heok Kay Heng
- Alfian Bin Sa’at
- Alvin Tan Cheong Kheng
- Andre Goh Ming Hui
- Ang Chong Leong
- Ang Gey Pin
- Ang Song Nian
- Angeline Lee
- Angie Sim
- Annie Kwan
- Anthony Chen Zheyi
- Anthony Goh Jwee Kiat
- Audi Khalid
- Audrey Wong
- Bianca Cornelia Geertruida Polak
- Boo Junfeng
- Brendon Fernandez
- Brenton Wong Kok Leong
- Calvin Soh Wye Ann
- Casey Lim
- Catherine Lim Suat Hong
- Celine Lim Su-Fen
- Chan Li Shan
- Chan Sze-Wei
- Chan Wei-yin Jaclyn
- Charles Lim
- Charmaine Toh
- Cheah En Wei John
- Chelsea Chua,
- Chew Kheng Chuan
- Chia QiLong, Andy
- Chia Sin Chiat
- Chng Wei Jie, Ivan
- Chong Ja Ian
- Choo Zheng Xi
- Chua Lian Choon (Richard)
- Chong Li-Chuan
- Chong Teck Seng Oliver
- Chong Tze Chien
- Christine Chia Yueh Chin
- Christopher Justin Wee Wan-ling
- Christopher Khor Qi Yao
- Chun Kaifeng
- Chun Kaiqun
- Chuang Xiu’Er
- Clare Yong
- Colin Goh Yong Ping
- Cyril Wong Yit Mun
- Dahlia Osman
- Dan Koh
- Dana Lam Yoke Kiew
- Daniel Goh Pei Siong
- Deusa Blumke
- Edmund Wee
- Edward Choy Keng Choong
- Elizabeth Lim
- Eng Kai Er
- Eugene Tan Siah Yew
- Fadzlee Ahmad
- Faris Basharahil
- Fiona Lee
- Fong Hoe Fang
- Gaurav Kripalani,
- Gwee Li Sui
- Han Xuemei
- Harris Jahim
- Haslinda Abdul Rahman
- He Shuming
- Helmi Yusof
- Heman Chong
- Heng Liang Ngim
- Ho Catherine
- Ho Tzu Nyen
- Ho Xi Huei Vanessa
- Hoe Su Fern,
- Ian Woo Yew Kong
- Ivan Heng Ai Jin,
- Izmir Ickbal
- Jay Yao
- Jack Sim Juek Wah
- James Jordan Tay
- Jane M. Shishido
- Janice Koh Yu-Mei
- Jasmine Ng Kin Kia
- Jeremy Chu Chan Peng
- Jeremy Jeyam Samuel (Jeremy Tiang)
- Jessica Anne Rahardjo
- Jessica Chua
- Jimmy Ong Boon Ching
- Jolene Tan
- Juria Toramae
- K Rajagopal
- Kamil Iqbal Haque
- Kamini Ramachandran
- Kathryn Kng Poey Choo
- Kea Boon Ming Earl
- Kelvin Lim
- Kelvin Tong Weng Kian
- Kenneth Chia Jin Hui
- Kevin Chua
- Khoo Guo Jie
- Koh Hui Ling
- Koh Jee Leong
- Kok Heng Leun
- Kok Yik Leng, Daniel
- Kuo Jian Hong
- Kwek Yi Qing Sonia
- Lai Chee Kien
- Lam Hoi Lit
- Lee Gim Lay
- Lee Gwo Yinn
- Lee Mun Fatt, David
- Lee Tee Keong Kenneth
- Lee Wai Loon, Kris
- Lee Wen
- Leong May Yen
- Liao Jiekai
- Lim Jialiang
- Lim Joshua Jonathan
- Lim Kay Siu
- Lim Siauw Chong
- Lin Shiyun
- Lina Adam
- Lindy Poh
- Lisa Li
- Lisa Marie Tan Li Shiang
- Loo Zihan
- Low Yuen Wei
- Lucy Davis
- Lynn Charlotte Lu
- Mahita Vas
- Mandy Tan
- Marcia Annelise Vanderstraaten
- Marcia Lee Tjie Yi
- Mark Chan Kok Wah
- Mark Chen Yong Chung
- Mark Joyce
- Meena Mylvaganam
- Melinda M. Lee
- Melissa Lim May Lin
- Mervyn Quek Sze Yon
- Michael Cheng Seow Wee
- Michele Low
- Michelle Lim Seok Ling
- Ming Poon
- Misháal Bin Syed Nasar
- Mok Cui Yin
- Ng Swee San
- Ng Yi-Sheng
- Ngiam Su-Lin
- Nicola Anthony
- Noor Effendy Ibrahim
- Nora A. Taylor
- Norasnidah Binte Abdullah
- Ong Boon Kok Bendini Junior
- Ong Keng Sen
- Ong Soh Chin
- Otto Fong Yong Chin
- Pang Ly-Shan
- Patrick Ong Boon Heng
- Philip Holden
- Prvacki Delia
- Prvacki Milenko
- Rachel Zeng
- Ray Langenbach
- Rebekah Anthony
- Redzuan Salleh
- Renny Normala
- Roy Payamal
- Royston Tan
- Sam Ng Sung Hian
- Samuel Woo Junhao
- Seng Yu Jin
- Serene Yap
- Sharmeen Nina Chabra
- Shirley Soh
- Siew Kum Hong
- Sim Mui Ting, Joyce
- Sim Yan Ying
- Simon Ng Yong Heng
- Sinead Tan Jia Na
- Siti Hawa Bte Ahmad Yussof
- Soh Wee Leong Billy
- Tania De Rozario
- Tan Han Wei Brendan
- Tan Hwee Kwan, Karen
- Tan Keng Ing Kirsten
- Tan Lee San Theresa
- Tan Ngiap Heng
- Tan Pin Pin
- Tan Qian Yi Moses
- Tan Shao Han
- Tan Si Min Josephine
- Tan Si Peng Terence
- Tan Wee Joo
- Tan Wei Chuen Adele
- Tay Liang Xuan Bridget
- Tay Siew Hui Verena
- Tay Tong
- Teo Kah Yen Abel
- Teo Liak Theng
- Terence Lau Kah Wai
- Thirunalan Sasitharan
- Thng Hui Hien
- Timothy Julian Nga U On
- Tse Hao Guang
- Vincent Lim Chew Meng
- Vivian Wang
- Wang Liansheng
- Wee Han Chong, Jason
- Wee Li Lin
- Wong Chee Meng
- Wong Kwang Han
- Wong May Ee
- Woon Tien Wei
- Yap Ching Wi
- Yang Jian
- Yeo Yann Yann
- Yuen Chee Wai
- Yuen Yee Foong
- Yvonne Lee
- Zai Kuning
- Zhao Renhui
- Zizi Azah Binte Abdul Majid
- Zulkarnain Hassan
