Law and the Arts – Lee Wen vs Sport Singapore (SportSG)

Write an essay that discusses the Art Law case regarding the dispute between the late artist Lee Wen and SportSG regarding his work, Ping Pong Go Round (1998-2015), in Singapore. The essay must be supported by relevant and credible research. Please adhere to the following:

The dispute should be explained clearly using appropriate language and terminology in discussing legal matters in arts and culture scenarios and include the following:

a)Who are the parties involved ?
b)What is the dispute about ?
c)How did the dispute start ?
d)How did the dispute end ?
e)Was there a decision by a court, or if the dispute remains unresolved?

Please include your reasons for choosing this case/dispute (eg. you are interested in artists’ rights; you feel that someone has been treated unfairly etc)
Please include what you can learn from this dispute (eg contracts should have been drafted better; someone did not read the contract properly etc)
Please include if the dispute had any implications for the future (eg certain countries will stop lending their cultural property to other countries; graffiti or street art can be protected in the same way as fine art under the law etc)

Expert Answers on Above Art Law Essay

Who are the parties involved?

The parties involved in the case are Lee Wen, the creator of the artwork and an installation artist, and SportSG (sports Singapore) which is a government agency responsible for providing sports facilities in Singapore.

What is the dispute about?

The disputes are about the removal, storage and lack of proper maintenance of the artwork by Lee Wen. According to the claims by Lee Wen, SportSG failed to respect the moral rights of the artist, and no consultation was done before removing the work.

How did the dispute start?

The removal of artwork by SportSG resulted in the beginning of the dispute. According to Lee Wen, there was no proper communication or information being made before the removal, and this is considered a violation of his right as the creator.

How did the dispute end?

There is no clear Court judgement received, and after the death of Lee Wen in 2019, his estate continued to raise concern about the condition, ownership and possible restoration of the artwork.

Was there a court decision or is it unresolved?

No such Court decision was identified and the disputes considered as unresolved.

Reasons for choosing this case

This case clearly indicate the importance of the moral right of the artwork, and it also indicates the way in which artists are treated in an unfair way when their work is controlled by other institutions.

What can be learned from the dispute?

The dispute clearly identified that there is a need for clear contract between The Artist and the commission bodies, and proper communication and consent should be made with respect to any alteration done to the work of artists.

Future implication of the dispute

It will result in an increased level of awareness among the artist with respect to exercising their legal rights, and also with creating better agreements and policies and respecting intellectual property and moral rights in the art sector.

This model answer is reviewed by Lee Ming Hui, Corporate Law graduate offering guidance and support with law essays.
Disclaimer: This answer is a model for study and reference purposes only. Please do not submit it as your own work.

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