I enter this discussion as a practitioner of a “traditional/ethnic” art form (Bharatanatyam). Although many in my sphere may feel, for various reasons, that the traditional art forms are immune to the current state of affairs, I believe that this step ultimately impacts the entire arts scene, “traditional” practitioners included. Yes, “traditional” art forms do enjoy a “safe art” status at the moment and are perhaps already subjected to regulation from societal forces. But which society in particular - India, Singapore or the diaspora’s imagined notions of the Indian homeland and its culture? I am not a proponent of entertainment licenses or censorship here, but have problems with categorisation/boxing in various forms, which I believe is artificial and that we as an arts scene have been subjected to for a long time. Human memory is short and it is selective. The dance form that serves as my reference point went through a long period of not just censorship but abolition. Today the invented tradition that is Bharatanatyam is celebrated as an “ancient” art form not just in India, but globally. Singapore is no exception. What if a choreographer seeks to modify, question or demystify the “traditional” form, or even draw from what is considered by society to be an unsuitable and uncomfortable point of reference in the dance form’s history? In which box do we then place the work? The line between “traditional” and “non-traditional” is therefore not as distinct as we would like to believe, especially in a scenario such as Singapore where as “traditional” artists (who are expected to act is custodians of these ethnic art forms), we are also exposed to very different influences. We will need to enter into this critical discussion if we hope for the “traditional” forms to develop in a spirit of freedom. Where is there hope for change and development of our ethnic forms if we have to begin the process in a mould of restriction and censorship? Even if we do not seek to push the boundaries of these forms, we need to keep in mind that we exist in a society whose motto is rapid change. When policies will shift and when we will cease to enjoy immunity against these constraining requirements is anyone’s guess. I strongly believe that we have been a fractured arts scene for far too long. I think that when it comes to the issue of artistic freedom, we must stand as one community. “Traditional” or “non-traditional”, no artist should have to step into creativity with censorship (and worse still, self-regulation) on their minds.
Posted on: Wed, 14 May 2014 06:49:55 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015