Restrictions
Practitioners of the visual arts have to contend with many restrictions imposed by Singaporean law. One of these is the Undesirable Publications Act (Chapter 338) .
Amongst the various definitions of 'publication' are 'any picture or drawing, whether made by computer-graphics or otherwise howsoever' and 'any photograph, photographic negative, photographic plate or photographic slide'. A publication is deemed 'obscene' if 'its effect is such as to tend to deprave and corrupt persons who are likely, having regard to all relevant circumstances, to read, see or hear the matter contained or embodied in it.'
A publication is 'objectionable' if 'in the opinion of any controller, it describes, depicts, expresses or otherwise deals with - (a) matters such as sex, horror, crime, cruelty, violence or the consumption of drugs or other intoxicating substances in such a manner that the availability of the publication is likely to be injurious to the public good.' Also if it '(ii) exploits the nudity of persons or children or both' and contravenes '(d) the standards of morality, decency and propriety that are generally accepted by reasonable members of the community.'
The Offences section states, 'Any person who without reasonable excuse has in his possession any prohibited publication or any extract therefrom shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction for a first offence to a fine not exceeding $2,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both, and for a subsequent offence to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years.'
Despite these caveats, local gay artists have, since the 1980s, been pushing at the boundaries to enable the general public to develop an appreciation for their emotional expression crafted through art.
Read more about this topic: Singapore Gay Art