Thursday, April 30, 2009

The Singapore Calligraphy Annual Exhibition 新加坡书法年展

The first Singapore Calligraphy Annual Exhibition was held from 3 to 8 September 1981 at the National Museum Art Gallery. It was then known as the First National Calligraphy Exhibition.
Since then, it has been held 29 times annually till this year. The event is organised by the Chinese Calligraphy Society of Singapore.
At the first exhibition, there were 112 pieces of calligraphic works on display by 50 calligraphers, aged between 19 and 81. One must admire the organisers’ good foresight of starting this annual event, especially at a time when the event was marked by a report filed by a newspaper with a big heading ‘Dying Art?’. The report started with three disturbing questions: ‘Is Chinese calligraphy a dying art in Singapore? Should it be taught as a subject in schools? What is its relevance to us in modern living?’ It also noted that ‘calligraphers are becoming a rare breed as fewer of the younger generation take an interest in it because even fewer are able to teach it’.
The report also quoted someone who said, ‘Who wants to see those unintelligible scribbling and blotches of black ink?’
Over the years, the organisers have obviously proven their critics wrong. Today, Chinese calligraphy is definitely not a dying art in Singapore. In fact, more people are learning the art and the number of calligraphy classes conducted by various organisations has increased considerably. At the Singapore Calligraphy Centre alone, there are more than 40 classes attended weekly by about 500 lovers of calligraphy.
The annual event has definitely played a positive role in maintaining a high level of interest of the art in Singapore. It is to be expected that many of the calligraphers who participate in the exhibitions over the years are also actively involved in calligraphy teaching.
This year, it was held from 25 to 28 April 2009 at the Lee Kong Chian Hall at the Singapore Calligraphy Centre.
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新加坡书法年展的第一次展览于1981年9月3日至8日在新加坡博物院画廊举行。当时名为第一届全国书法展。
至今,这个由新加坡书法家协会举办的年展已经举办了29次。
共有50个书法家的112件作品在第一届年展中展出。他们的年龄介于19到81岁。举办机构发起第一届书展的高瞻远瞩是值得我们敬佩的;尤其是当时一家报纸的报道以‘垂死的艺术?’为大标题,一开始就提出三个令人不安的问题:‘在新加坡,书法是垂死艺术吗?它应该成为学校的教导科目吗?它在我们现代生活有用吗?’这份报道还指出:‘书法家已是稀有品种,因为更少人有能力教导它,加上新一代越来越少对书法有兴趣。’
这个报道还引述一些人的谈话:‘谁要去看那些难解的书写与肮脏的黑墨呢?’
这些年来,主办当局明显的证明他们的批评者是错误的。在新加坡,今天书法肯定不是一门垂死的艺术。事实上,现在有更多人学习书法。各团体开办的书法班已有明显的增加。单单在新加坡书法中心,每个星期就有超过40班开课,大约500名书法爱好者在上课。
在新加坡,这个年展肯定在保持人们对书法浓厚兴趣方面扮演了正面的角色。可以想象的是,不少参展的书法家也积极的参与书法教学的工作。
今年的展览于4月25日至28日在书法中心的光前堂举行。

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