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SPEECH BY MR RAYMOND LIM MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT AND SECOND MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS AT THE OFFICIAL OPENING AND PRIZE PRESENTATION CEREMONY OF THE 27TH
UOB PAINTING OF THE YEAR EXHIBITION ESPLANADE RECITAL STUDIO Mr Wee Ee Cheong, Deputy Chairman & Chief
Executive Officer, UOB Group and Chairman of the UOB Art Committee Distinguished guests Ladies and gentlemen, Good morning 1 Pablo
Picasso said, “Every child is an
artist. The problem is how to remain an artist when he grows up.”
The United Overseas Bank Group (UOB) annual Painting Of The Year Competition,
now in its 27th year, has helped to address this by contributing
to the discovery and appreciation of local artists and their work. 2 This is important as a nation is judged not just by the
power of its economy but the nature of its society. Do we honour the
businessman but not the artist? Do we admire tall buildings but not the
creative spirit that informs their designs? Are we so caught up with the
material that we forget the richness and diversity of our people, our
realities, our history? As John F Kennedy said in his tribute to Robert
Frost, “A nation which disdains
the mission of art invites the fate of Robert Frost’s hired man, the
fate of having nothing to look backward to with pride and nothing to look
forward to with hope.” 3 Art is a great civilising force. It is the soul of a
nation. It is the way in which we voice our histories and our aspirations; it
is the way in which we reflect upon and comment on our society and our life.
It is our conscience and our interlocutor; our imagination and our memory. 4 So I applaud UOB and other like-minded corporate sponsors
whose generous support of the arts have made such a difference to our local
arts scene. I urge others to follow this road less taken. 5 My
heartiest congratulations to the winners and participants of this
year’s Competition. 6 I
wish all of you success in your artistic pursuits. |
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