They also reiterate their stance that they do not believe the works to be “lewd”—to use the term bandied around by some complainants—nor was there any artistic intent to titillate. Both pieces are thoughtful and sensitive; they advocate body positive messages as well as a sense of personal candour and community trust.
The Festival stated that it will continue to advocate for diverse representation and constructive dialogue and hope to share these in the coming Festival.
The festival had faced several complaints from the public, one of such complaints came in a form of a letter written against the show by Ms Tam Wai Jia, a medical doctor, entitled ‘Shows with nudity are disguising lewdness as art.’
Ms Tam wrote, “Over the years, the arts scene in Singapore has grown. Many people have enjoyed internationally acclaimed theater productions from overseas, contributing to the rich cultural tapestry Singapore boasts.”
“Unfortunately, a number of shows in the coming M1 Fringe Festival have disguised themselves as art, with the veneer of challenging existing ideals of sexuality, while indiscriminately promoting lewd content. Such art, disguised as being provocative, glorifies perversity instead.”.
Ms Tam had said in her letter, that she ‘echo the sentiments of the majority of pro-family Singaporeans and commend IMDA decision to disallow performance lecture Naked Ladies and interactive piece Undressing Room to be performed in their current form, due to excessive nudity.’
Ms Chen Yanyun wrote in response to Ms Tam’s letter, “Perhaps it is good to note that censorship and policing tends to drive art underground. It divides rather than open a space for conversations and understanding. Perhaps it is also good for Ms Tam, and the pro-family community to consider why it is okay to police, to stop, to hinder what they have no intention of participating in, in the first place.”
Renowned playwright, Alfian Sa’at wrote in a Facebook post about the letters sent in protest of the shows featured in the festival, ”
“These letters are not from the ‘silent majority’. I feel that if you ask some heartlander apek about the works you’d probably get responses like ‘like that also art ah?’ or ‘wah, this ang moh char bor take off clothes when giving lecture, the ticket how much?’ or ‘last time ah, can go Neptune Theatre see topless show. But if this kind, say ‘artistic’ one ah, not nice one. Last time the Crazy Horse show at Clarke Quay also say ‘artistic’–cannot see anything one.’
No, these are letters from a very vocal minority that sees the arts as a place where they should assert the influence of their religion. ‘Disguising lewdness as art’? I’d like to hear the writer respond to someone saying that her letter is ‘disguising power-hungry secularism-threatening evangelical dominionism as a complaint from the public’.”