Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister of State for National Development,
Excellencies, Distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good evening, and a warm welcome to the launch of the CDL-Singapore Sculpture Award Exhibition.
When I received the proposal from my staff to organise a nation-wide sculpture award early last year, I had no hesitation to approve it. Not simply because it was going to be the first such initiative by a developer, but indeed, I saw great synergy between our business and this 3-D art form.
In many countries, using art to enhance the built environment has been done for years, whether as the centrepiece of a courtyard or as part of a building structure. In Europe, sculpture is an integral part of architecture and developers have long invested in and contributed to public art.
Indisputably, sculpture serves to beautify public spaces and strengthen local and cultural identity. It lends a strong character to a place, establishing a sense of creativity and quality for a development. Such artwork remains as a permanent fixture in the landscape, a legacy for future generations to enjoy.
In Singapore, sculpture is still a nascent art form. As a leading developer playing a role in shaping the landscape of our nation, CDL strongly supports the cultivation and growth of this field of art. Through this Sculpture Award, we aim to nurture and recognise talents who can blend their imagination with the distinctive character of an area to create artworks that enhance the uniqueness of a community. We also hope to inspire an artwork that fittingly adorns our riverside development, The Pier at Robertson Quay. We truly believe this is a meaningful way to promote the arts and supports our vision as a developer that offers a gracious living environment for Singaporeans.
We are very glad that the works submitted in this contest displayed a wide range of expression, and many offered innovative and daring concepts. This is certainly a reflection of the remarkable potential of our nation’s budding sculptors. We hope that this unconventional and novel approach would also inspire other industry players to promote a supportive environment for the development of sculpture in Singapore.
Indeed, we are very encouraged by the response to this competition and hope to hold this Award biennially. And, it is our long-term vision to take this Award into the regional arena in the not-too-distant future.
Finally, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank our partners for making this Award a success and to compliment our distinguished judges for their expert advice. On behalf of the organising committee, I’d like to congratulate the winners and thank all the participants for the hard work that went into their submissions.
Last but not least, I wish to express my appreciation to Dr Vivian Balakrishnan for gracing the launch of our exhibition this evening. It is now my pleasure to invite Dr Balakrishnan to address us.