Lih Yui |

Just last year, a 25-year-old lady, who called herself ‘SKL0’, was arrested for painting graffiti and pasting stickers on public property. These small pieces of art, aimed at mocking the common behaviors and mannerisms of Singaporeans, included captions like “Press until shiok” and “My grandfather road” inscribed on traffic lights and pedestrian crossings respectively. Many may say that her artistic act was nothing more than a crime, as it was termed “graffiti” by the law, made in public spaces and was indirectly insulting towards Singaporeans.

But what if the term “graffiti” was changed to “street art”, which refers to art developed in public spaces? Would your perception of it change for the better? And what if the person making these graffiti is a famous artist? Will it still be considered a crime? How about the element of mockery or perviousness? Does…