Giant sculpture show closes after just 1 day

IT was supposed to be Singapore's biggest public art event of November, with thousands of snapshots already posted onto Instagram even before the show opened for the general public.

But the exhibition featuring a monumental sculpture on The Float @ Marina Bay was closed on Sunday - just one day after the VIP opening on Saturday. It is not known when or if it will resume, as the contesting parties remain bitterly opposed to one another.

For fans of Kaws, the popular American artist who designed the Companion character now lying on The Float, the news came as a shock. Previous displays of Kaws' outdoor sculptures in cities such as Seoul, Hong Kong and Taipei have gone smoothly.

Observers estimate that the show here, which was supported by the Singapore Tourism Board, costs about US$1.5 million to mount.

On Saturday (Nov 13) at about 4.20pm, the organisers of The Kaws: Holiday Singapore show were served with a court order by a process server for the immediate suspension of the artwork's display and the accompanying sale of relevant merchandise.

The order had been obtained by Singapore non-profit arts organisation The Ryan Foundation (TRF) which claims that the Hong Kong-based show organisers AllRightsReserved (ARR) had used merchandising ideas that the 2 parties had discussed in confidence, without permission from TRF.

The event was meant to be open to the public for free from Nov 14 to 21. But there was a special opening on Nov 13 for celebrities, influencers, art world figures and others. The press was also given a preview on Nov 12.

After the process server had handed the court injunction to the organisers on Saturday, the organisers continued to host their VIP guests till evening. Because of this, TRF says it intends to file contempt of court papers on Monday.

On Saturday night at 11pm, ARR released a statement refuting TRF's claims: "In relation to the recent groundless allegations made by a third party who attempted to cause interruption to the Kaws: Holiday Singapore exhibition, our company is in the process of seeking urgent legal advice and will apply to court to challenge the prohibitory injunction order.

"Our company takes this incident very seriously, and will take all possible steps to ensure that this exhibition can progress in accordance with the laws of Singapore."

Kaws, the artist who created the sculpture, also simultaneously released a statement, saying: "I have no contractual agreement with The Ryan Foundation. Their accusation is baseless.

"Together with ARR, I am honoured to exhibit Kaws: Holiday here in Singapore. The reception that I have received from the people here has been overwhelmingly positive, and I am grateful to have this opportunity."

In the wee hours of Sunday morning, the media received an email stating that "the artwork venue, The Float @ Marina Bay, is temporarily closed". The 42 m long inflatable outdoor sculpture, however, can still be easily viewed from the surrounding buildings and hotels.

Meanwhile, all the merchandise produced in conjunction with the exhibition had been snapped up within hours of them going on sale on Saturday morning - well before the injunction was served. They included vinyl toys, singlets, handheld fans and picnic gear.

Kaws, the popular American artist whose real name is Brian Donnelly, has worked with ARR for years to present different variations of Kaws: Holiday in 6 other locations such as Japan and the UK.

It was after seeing a giant inflatable Kaws sculpture floating in Hong Kong harbour in 2019 that Ryan Su, a lawyer and founder of TRF, wanted to work with ARR and Kaws to bring a similar Kaw sculpture to Singapore.

The Business Times understands when ARR visited Singapore in 2019, TRF introduced them to various government people in Singapore Tourism Board and Urban Redevelopment Authority. TRF also brought the ARR team to look at a few outdoor sites in the Marina Bay area where the sculpture may be displayed.

During their discussion, TRF and ARR came up with the ideas for merchandise, which included dragon boat rowers singlets, a picnic set and handheld fans - all of which reflected the lifestyle themes of the Marina Bay area.

However, negotiations soon hit an impasse, and TRF and ARR decided not to organise the event together. The Business Times understands that ARR then approached STB to proceed with the event, and subsequently launched merchandise similar to the ones conceptualised during the meeting with TRF.

TRF has clarified that the "relevant merchandise" mentioned in the court injunction does not include the vinyl toys which Kaws had designed himself. The suit does not involve Kaws or STB.

TRF began the process of filing for the court injunction in late October, shortly after ARR released images of the merchandise that looked similar to what was proposed in the private meetings between ARR and TRF.

ARR is a creative agency founded by Hongkong personality Lam Shu-kam - or SK Lam as he is often known. Publicity images of Kaws: Holiday often show Kaws posing with Lam, and the 2 men are said to have a close working relationship.

ARR has also worked with other artists and designers of collectibles, including Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman. In 2013, ARR brought Hofman's giant inflatable rubber duckling to Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour, which created a social media sensation.

TRF, on the other hand, has organised significant shows in Singapore, including the Lucy Liu and Shubigi Rao double exhibition in 2018, and the Andy Warhol exhibition of Polaroids in 2016. Su has been awarded the Patron of the Arts (2017) award and Patron of Heritage (2020) award by the Singapore government

Adrian Chan, TRF's director, said the injunction is a "victory in court for all the people who had worked tirelessly on the exhibition since 2019".

He added: "It is disappointing that various parties had known that confidential information and intellectual property rights, among other things, were at risk of being misused and still continue to be involved in a project that exploits stakeholders in the Singapore arts landscape . . . This is truly a case of David & Goliath."

When the exhibition was declared closed on Sunday, Chan said that he hopes the public will still "have a chance to see the installation under more ideal circumstances".