M1 SINGAPORE FRINGE FESTIVAL 2010: ART AND THE LAW

The M1 Singapore Fringe Festival is back with its sixth edition from 13 to 24 January 2010. Organised and curated by The Necessary Stage, this much anticipated festival is a showcase of artists from all over the world, across various artistic genres.It will feature 20 international and Singapore works including 3 Festival Highlights from Singapore, Taiwan and England.

Among the exhilarating and thought-provoking original works lined up for the Festival in 2010, the festival is proud to present, for the first time, three groundbreaking works from Burma, Iran and Slovakia, namely an installation piece by Burmese artist Htein Lin, a video work by a female Iranian artist Haleh Anvari and a contemporary dance-theatre production by Debris Company from Slovakia. Be enthralled by the works of these artists, particularly from the two Asian countries where political and ethnic tensions is rife. They show us a glimpse of their lives amidst the strife.

In addition to these exciting artists, the festival is set to further entice audiences at two new venues: Sculpture Square and ION Orchard, Singapore’s newest iconic mall located in the heart of Orchard Road. The former will host a video installation whilst ION Orchard's ION Art will showcase one of the Festival Highlights of 2010.

The festival this year explores the relationship between Art and the Law. Extending the term “law” beyond the confines of legislation enforced by a judicial system, the M1 Singapore Fringe Festival 2010 seeks to expand this definition by exploring the underlining issues.

“Law” here refers to the boundaries set upon us in our lives, be it culture, religion, human relationships or even laws of nature. Even artistic creation is linked to the notion of law and order. The rules of creation exist in the form of musical structures, visual composition and theatrical conventions, among many others. In societies like Singapore, artistic creation and presentation may include aspects of the law like licensing and state funding. But what happens when we dismantle the framework? Or as the saying goes, know the rules before you break them. How far can one go?

ART AND THE LAW explores issues of artistic freedom and the freedom of expression and looks at art beyond the rules as the M1 Singapore Fringe Festival 2010 challenges artists to be at the forefront of change and progress.

For more information, please log on to www.singaporefringe.com