The Singapore Kindness Movement, which to the surprise of many was the main driver of the much criticised Eville exhibition at the Singapore Night Festival over the weekend, has urged the community to "reflect upon the issue, and the context (of any incident) before commenting".
The exhibition, which involved the display and distribution of posters giving 'sarcastic advice' like "kill stray cats" and "commit adultery with your sister", incensed the animal-loving community especially, triggering even the Cat Welfare Society to diss it on its Facebook page. The Society has since apologised.
In a statement, the Movement explained that Eville was discussing the "evilness that can exist in our society". "The artists' intention was to ask of participants their own stands on evil, whether they would participate in or reject these notions, through the use of satire and horror," the statement continued.
The Singapore Kindness Movement went on to reiterate its belief in the exhibition, saying that despite the artworks and concepts being curated by local collective Vertical Submarine and the artists involved, it was aware of what was being proposed and executed and felt it would do its part in encouraging audiences to reflect on the showcased issues. "The controversy... is the result of small piece of the exhibition being posted and shared online, without the benefit of the context of the entire exhibition, and without considering the disclaimers included on each flyer....
...We wish to assure concerned individuals who were exposed to the edited versions of the flyer circulating on social media that neither we, nor vertical submarine, in any way condone violence towards animals, or any of the other topics that were touched on during the exhibition."
The Movement also noted that both the Cat Welfare Society and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals have acknowledged the clarification, and finished by encouraging "everyone to spend a little time to reflect upon the issue, and the context, before commenting."
The Singapore Kindness Movement, which to the surprise of many was the main driver of the much criticised Eville exhibition at the Singapore Night Festival over the weekend, has urged the community to "reflect upon the issue, and the context (of any incident) before commenting".
The exhibition, which involved the display and distribution of posters giving 'sarcastic advice' like "kill stray cats" and "commit adultery with your sister", incensed the animal-loving community especially, triggering even the Cat Welfare Society to diss it on its Facebook page. The Society has since apologised.
In a statement, the Movement explained that Eville was discussing the "evilness that can exist in our society". "The artists' intention was to ask of participants their own stands on evil, whether they would participate in or reject these notions, through the use of satire and horror," the statement continued.
The Singapore Kindness Movement went on to reiterate its belief in the exhibition, saying that despite the artworks and concepts being curated by local collective Vertical Submarine and the artists involved, it was aware of what was being proposed and executed and felt it would do its part in encouraging audiences to reflect on the showcased issues. "The controversy... is the result of small piece of the exhibition being posted and shared online, without the benefit of the context of the entire exhibition, and without considering the disclaimers included on each flyer....
...We wish to assure concerned individuals who were exposed to the edited versions of the flyer circulating on social media that neither we, nor vertical submarine, in any way condone violence towards animals, or any of the other topics that were touched on during the exhibition."
The Movement also noted that both the Cat Welfare Society and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals have acknowledged the clarification, and finished by encouraging "everyone to spend a little time to reflect upon the issue, and the context, before commenting."