Saturday, November 22, 2014

A Difference Of Art

Like Ford's Model T, available only in black

Definitely a more colourful alternative
The first piece of "art" won her $32,500 in the UOB Painting of the Year 2014 Competition. Ms Om explained that the 100 cm by 100 cm oil on canvas is supposed to be a reflection of a starry night sky, probably marred by the haze from Indonesia. You could never guess that by the "N-PIN56L" title given to the piece, obviously bearing no clue to the 57 layers of colour applied. Don't bother to ask what camel brushes were instrumental for the creative labour of love: ""I used 6 mm tape to create the grid. Each layer is a compilation of a grid, the paint layer and the tape removed and applied again, and then add on another layer."

The second creative effort is more recognizable, spray paint being the medium of choice preferred by graffiti artists world wide. But two German nationals, Andreas Von Knorre and Elton Hinz, both 21, are likely of be rewarded with $2,000 fines, 3 years’ jail and 8 strokes of the cane each for their exuberant expressions of colour and shape.

The main difference being a sticky issue of trespassing on SMRT territory.

When a northbound train was found vandalised with graffiti and the fencing at Bishan Depot tampered with in 2011, SMRT swore that "We want to have a system that is truly comprehensive and will hold up to tests." And was willing to back it up with  security enhancements that SMRT said cost them $6 million, with maintenance alone amounting to $300,000 annually. Manpower costs for its current security team then (in 2011) were already eating up $5 million a year. Money is no object when commuters end up paying for their incompetence.

Not that it did SMRT any good. And Andreas and Elton did made them look pretty silly. Just for that, there will be hell to pay. Don't worry about the chief executive being sacked, after all, it's only the fourth instance of security breach recorded. Unless the stars fall from the sky, his handsome salary takings will never be docked.

17 comments:

  1. Vandalism is a worldwide phenomenon. With over 10 millions visitors a year, Singapore will not be spared of such incidents ever. Why do they think caning these vandals will stop future incidents? They are simply calling for attention to the barbaric and cruelty of this city state.

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  2. I read somewhere that the CEO of smrt's salary plus bonus plus shares for his 6 months services came to $1 million dollars. There are 5 or 6 men from the army that follow him to smrt. There will be fare increase again.

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  3. With so many ex military professionals at SMRT, YET SMRT PREMISES AND TRAINS WERE VIOLATED.
    IS THIS TINY ROCK SAFE IN THE HAND OF THE SAF?

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  4. SMRT should thank Andreas and Elton for exposing their security vulnerability, after millions spent on "....a system that is truly comprehensive and will hold up to tests." Hold up to tests, my arse. What is graffiti and a few red faces; the next breach could be something more serious. It's not as if they wrote "Fuck the PAP" like at Block 85 Toa Payoh. But I think Oliver Fricker and Lloyd Dane's artwork looked much better.

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  5. Time to outsource the national defense to the peoples liberation army and free our young men from conscription.
    With sin army commanders, even tourists can breach our security. The soldier boys are good only for playing computer war games.

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  6. Hey Tattler, don't get so worked up over SMRT's pledge to do better the next time. After all the National Pledge is only an aspiration.

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    1. Really cannot tahan the content of the National Pledge - "One People One Nation" but in reality is so divided. When opposition controlled a ward, our own people living within the area are being "punished" whetehr you voted for opposition or PAP, upgrading is being widthheld and services like MRT/buses are being overlooked. The pledge means nothing when come to choosing a wrong party and we still call ourselves a democratic country?

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  7. Four security breaches. (What happened to one shot one kill?)
    And the CEO was part of PAP's military elite.
    And yet he can't seem to secure a defensive perimeter around the assets (trains & depots) he is supposed to protect.

    Is this a reflection of the competence of our military elite?
    Are they able to secure a defensive perimeter around Singapore?
    Is this why our Ministers use Gurkhas instead of the SAF to secure their own homes?

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    1. All these paper generals and paper tigers - look good only on paper.

      Like our police - look good only on TV such as Mata Mata and other police shows.

      Mas Selamat was arrested with the help of the Malaysian police. Now, these two vandals (dare I say potential terrorists?) were also arrested with the help of the Malaysian and Thai police.

      Says a lot about our elite teams.

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  8. "We want to have a system that is truly comprehensive and will hold up to tests." And was willing to back it up with security enhancements that SMRT said cost them $6 million, with maintenance alone amounting to $300,000 annually. Manpower costs for its current security team then (in 2011) were already eating up $5 million a year."

    Talking cock. Their system is as good as when it is breached and it has been breached one time too many. Like computer security, white hat hackers are employed to hack into systems and if they succeed, the security system is as good as crap. These two German lads showed us that their 6 million dollar crap is vulnerable and will be vulnerable so long as they keep harping how good it is without the substance. The beauty of the caper is that this time the fools thought it was an inside job.

    As for that darn piece of art, which reportedly won $32500, what more can I say? Yeah, once again, I don't know what to day.

    My weekend is spoilt thanks to you, Tatler! He he.

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  9. "As for that darn piece of art, which reportedly won $32500, what more can I say? Yeah, once again, I don't know what to day."

    Funny you just echoed what I was thinking about the PAP GRC team for my area:
    "As for the best available talent you claim to have found to represent me in parliament, which reportedly will be paid millions in salaries, what more can I say? Yeah, once again, I don't know what to say."

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  10. Time and time again just shows how lucky we are our public infrastructure hasn't been bombed. Our highly decorated paper generals all just for show only.

    When it was made known, SMART even suspected it was an inside job as no perimeter breaches were detected. You mean the germans actually just walked into the depot via the entrace? Even worst!

    If we continue to let this bunch of nincompoops be in charge, we're gone case man.

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  11. The 2 Germans teleported themselves into the premises. Can't blamed the SAF boy scouts.

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    1. German technology is of high quality... they got in, did their stuff, and got out.

      As usual, its the person that bragged and that drew attention.... should have just shut up and enjoy the success.

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    2. Try underground instead of over the air.

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  12. The best part must be the security fines paid by SMRT. Just like any other fines, the monies surely goes to the Govt's pocket, presumably from the next round of hikes sponsored by courtesy of SMRT customers ?

    No wonder we have all kinds of fines for all kinds of breaches. Makes one wonder whether our greedy Govt would be most happy whenever any breach occurs because these fined simply add to the coffers that pays our Ministers' million dollar salaries when additional revenue can be raised without lifting any finger !!!

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  13. Two 20 year old German kids outsmarting a Millionaire General with a very long list of academic achievements.

    Maybe he missed the chapter about how to guard a bus & train depot located in a friendly territory surrounded by friendly citizens.
    Wong Kan Seng "Singapore has a very long coastline" .... ROFL.
    So maybe Bishan train depot has a very long perimeter fence.

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