說起異國他鄉(xiāng)，我最熟悉的莫過于新加坡。從1995年開始，受新加坡國家藝術理事會等部門的邀請，我得以多次訪問這個美麗的島國，每次都會留下深刻的印象，都會產生新的認識和感覺。
　　2003年歲末，新加坡國家藝術理事會、新加坡政府旅游局、“聯(lián)系新加坡”經濟發(fā)展局邀請了32個國家和地區(qū)的219位攝影家（包括美國《國家地理》雜志攝影師史提夫麥凱瑞Steve McCurry等諸多世界著名攝影家在內）到新加坡參加“Click Art國際藝術攝影集會”。這是新加坡迄今為止舉辦的規(guī)模最大的攝影活動。我榮幸地成為其中的一員。
　　在短短三天的時間里，會議主辦方還組織來自世界各地的攝影高手們參加了“全島拍透透”創(chuàng)作比賽。比賽圍繞“空間、幕后點滴、藝術空間和藝術城市”等五個主題進行。這也是“Click Art國際藝術攝影集會”的重頭戲。攝影家們在新加坡全島各個角落，用敏銳的鏡頭記錄這個南洋島國多彩的城市景象和豐富的生活面貌。我驚奇地發(fā)現(xiàn)，時隔五六年，新加坡依然那般美麗，但美麗中多了一份豐韻，多了一種自然融入生活的藝術氛圍。
　　新加坡是一個小國，只有600多平方公里的國土，資源十分匱乏，但新加坡人民憑著自己的聰明才智，在短短的幾十年中，創(chuàng)造了震驚世界的經濟騰飛奇跡，成為世界上最發(fā)達和最富裕的國家之一。但富裕起來的新加坡人不僅僅滿足于經濟上的成就，而更重視精神文明的建設。政府投入巨大的精力和財力建設了大量的文化藝術場所，為本國藝術家提供了優(yōu)裕的創(chuàng)作環(huán)境，并邀請世界各地的優(yōu)秀藝術家來新加坡舉辦多種多樣的文化藝術交流活動。新加坡人不斷從中吸收著東西方文化的精髓，國民整體素質不斷提高，國家充滿了活力。
　　濱海藝術中心是我此次新加坡之行見到的一幢嶄新建筑，正式開放整整一年。這幢建筑外觀呈獨特的雙貝殼形，坐落在市區(qū)內的新加坡河入海口，與濱海灣毗鄰。藝術中心擁有全新加坡最大的舞臺和新加坡人引以自豪的音樂廳。新加坡朋友告訴我，世界上只有五個類似的音樂廳，包括瑞士的盧塞恩、美國的費城、達拉斯、英國的伯明翰，再就是新加坡。由于音樂廳的音響設備可隨需要進行調節(jié)，所以它是各種音樂演出的理想場所。音樂廳放置著一架由4740個音管及61個音栓組成的科萊斯管風琴，是世界上最著名的一家管風琴制造商設計與制造完成的。
　　不僅國家藝術表演中心，新加坡政府所舉辦的各種文化藝術活動都要求能夠適合不同觀眾的口味，包括各種類型的音樂、舞蹈、戲劇及視覺藝術，都把焦點集中在藝術的教育和增加大眾能接觸到藝術的機會上。新加坡的觀眾通過這些活動不僅能了解各種藝術，更重要的是把欣賞藝術視為他們生活的一部分。
　　不管你走在烏節(jié)路商業(yè)區(qū)或宏茂橋組屋區(qū)，不管是在小印度或是荷蘭村，不管是在藝術家們的創(chuàng)作基地還是普通百姓的家中，你都會感到一種藝術的氣息撲面而來。有一天晚飯后，我在外國攝影家住的萊佛士飯店外散步，發(fā)現(xiàn)剛剛逛完商店的一家人意猶未盡地拍照留念。身后的櫥窗里展示著名牌服裝的廣告，廣告畫面中的三對男女青年代表了Design（藝術）、Style（流行與時尚），前景則是這些穿著隨意的百姓，與背景中的時尚男女形成了鮮明對比，給人以強烈視覺沖擊。這幅信手拈來的作品后來獲得了“藝術拓展”主題的金獎。我由衷地感謝藝術的新加坡給了我攝影創(chuàng)作的靈感。
　　
　　This past December, the 2003 ClickArt / World Photojournalist Conference, jointly organized by the National Arts Council, Singapore Tourism Board, Contact Singapore, and Singapore Economic Board, invited 219 photographers from 32 countries and regions to meet in Singapore. I was honored to be invited to attend.
　　Singapore is a small country with an area of roughly 600 square kilometers. Though very short on natural resources, the people of Singapore, counting on their own wisdom, have created a marvelous world economic miracle in only a few decades and have turned Singapore into one of the most developed and richest countries in the world. Despite their wealth, the people of Singapore are not satisfied merely with economic achievements, for they also attach great importance to the construction of spiritual civilization.
　　The government has spent tremendous energy and considerable funds in the construction of many cultural and artistic resorts, which provide an excellent creative environment for artists, as well as hours of happy browsing and shopping for tourists. Besides, Singapore frequently invites outstanding artists from all over the world to visit and hold diversified cultural and artistic exchange events. In this way, Singapore has constantly absorbed the essentials of both eastern and western cultures, which has constantly enriched the life style of the people and made the country full of vitality.
　　The Esplanade Theaters on the Bay is a new building, which I saw for the first time during my visit to Singapore, since it has been open to the public for only one year. Located at the juncture where the Singapore River meets the sea, and neighboring upon Marina Bay, the external part of this building presents a unique dual-shell shape. The Esplanade Theaters on the Bay consists mainly of the Lyric Theater and Concert Hall. A friend of mine in Singapore told me that there were only five such concert halls in the entire world, the others being in Luzern, Switzerland; Birmingham, England; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Dallas, Texas, in the United States. Since the acoustics in the concert hall can be adjusted in accordance with different needs, it is an ideal venue for the performance of a variety of concerts. A remarkable feature of the concert hall is a Klais pipe organ with 4,740 pipes and 61 stops, designed by the celebrated American sound scientist Russell Johnson.
　　Not only do The Esplanade Theatres on the Bay encourage different kinds of presentations, but various cultural and artistic events hosted by the Singapore government are also designed to cater to the tastes of visitors from many ethnic backgrounds. There is great emphasis on art education in Singapore, and this includes various kinds of vocal and instrumental music, dance, opera, and the visual arts, including painting, calligraphy, drawings, and photography, with the result that there are increasing opportunities for the people to have access to art, both as creators and as connoisseurs.
　　Through these events, visitors to Singapore can enjoy various arts and come to regard art appreciation as an important part of their life. While strolling along and exploring Orchard Road, Ang Mo Kio, Little India, or Holland Village, or through visiting the studios of the artists or even the homes of ordinary people, wherever you are, you can feel the sense of art in Singapore.
　　One evening after supper, when I took a leisurely walk outside the Raffles Hotel where I stayed, I found several members of a family taking pictures in front of a display window after shopping. Behind them in the window was an advertisement for a brand name dress, in which there are three young couples. In front of them, the living people in their casual suits constitute a fresh comparison with the fashionable models in the picture, exerting a strong impact on my vision. Later, the picture I shot from this scene was awarded First Prize under the theme “Reaching Out.”

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