SINGAPORE CELEBRATES WTA’S LEGACY WITH UNVEILING OF A SYMBOLIC ART PIECE, ‘DREAM’, AT THE SINGAPORE SPORTS HUB

For Immediate Release 

Wednesday, October 24, 2018 

Singapore Sports Hub, Sport Singapore and WTA join hands to commission a sculpture to commemorate the legacy of Singapore’s successful hosting of the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global (2014-2018) 

SINGAPORE – As Singapore celebrates the fifth and final edition of the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global (“WTA Finals”), a symbolic art piece commemorating the tournament and the achievements of women in sports and entertainment was unveiled at the Singapore Sports Hub today. 

Commissioned by the Singapore Sports Hub, Sport Singapore and Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), the artwork was created by internationally-acclaimed Singapore artist, Baet Yeok Kuan. Entitled ‘Dream’, the sculpture seeks to celebrate passion and those who dare to dream. Featuring a young girl holding a tennis racquet as she leaps in pursuit of her passion, ‘Dream’ also aims to inspire the next generation to dream big and fulfil their ambitions. 

Encapsulating the spirit of ‘Dream’, inscribed is a quote from Billie Jean King, founder of the WTA and 39- time Grand Slam champion: “My vision is for every young girl to be able to follow her dreams”. King’s handprints will also be cast in stone alongside the art piece. 

Oon Jin Teik, CEO of Singapore Sports Hub, said, “‘Dream’ is a symbolic representation of the admirable contributions of women, in shaping Singapore’s unique sporting and entertainment landscape, and we hope that it inspires and encourages the next generation to realise their ambitions. As our wonderful journey as hosts of the WTA Finals draws to a close, we are pleased to commemorate the WTA’s lasting legacy in Singapore through this sculpture. The tournament has attracted Singaporeans and visitors from all over the world to our top-in-class venue and we look forward to continue hosting global events of such calibre in order to create extraordinary experiences and memories for Singaporeans and visitors of all ages.” 

Speaking about her experience in Singapore, King commented, “My dream has always been to encourage every person to believe in and fulfil their own dreams. Dreams come true if you believe in yourself and are willing to put in the effort. When I came to Singapore for the first edition of the WTA Finals in 2014, I was ecstatic to see that our dream for the WTA was coming to fruition, that we were able to reach out to a new community and inspire more people in the Asia-Pacific region. With this symbolic art piece, I hope that Singapore remembers her invaluable contribution to the legacy of the WTA Finals here and continues to use this as an inspiration for future generations.” 

The WTA Finals leaves a lasting legacy in Singapore which will continue to inspire generations to come. It has helped to build a sustainable platform that has kickstarted the growth of tennis not just in Singapore, but throughout Asia-Pacific. The sculpture thus celebrates the development and growth of tennis programmes in Singapore such as the Love Singapore SportCares initiative, the ActiveSG Tennis Academy, as well as the island-wide Singapore Tennis Festival by ActiveSG, which are held during the week of the tournament and supported by the WTA and Sport Singapore. 

Lim Teck Yin, CEO of Sport Singapore, said, “The WTA Finals has brought tennis closer to Singaporeans and got many interested to play. We are proud to have hosted the Finals as the first major sporting event at the Singapore Sports Hub when it first opened. Over the years, the month of October has become synonymous with tennis through the parallel Singapore Tennis Festival that was staged alongside the Finals’ fringe events. The legacy from the WTA Finals will be felt through the development of new infrastructure, events and programmes to inspire more people to play tennis recreationally and competitively.” 

Steve Simon, WTA CEO and Chairman said, “The WTA is grateful for all the support that Singapore has shown for the WTA Finals, and for the incredible efforts in promoting our sport. Our partners in Singapore have delivered an event at the highest level and at the same time, have created an environment that will allow for the sport to continue to grow in Singapore. Through this symbolic art piece, and on behalf of the WTA, I would like to thank Singapore for being a wonderful host city and for helping the WTA showcase the sport throughout Asia-Pacific.” 

Baet’s stunning artwork, which commemorates Singapore’s successful hosting of the tournament, will be displayed at the north entrance of the iconic Singapore Indoor Stadium, official home of the WTA Finals. It will also be incorporated into the Singapore Sports Hub’s wider plans to celebrate Singapore’s rich sports and arts heritage. 

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Download link: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/dfacchokz8001gn/AAAOB4qoESZIFvDWrj7oRbPCa?dl=0

(Photo Credit: Singapore Sports Hub) 

Photo Captions: 

• Photo 1: ‘Dream’ symbolic art piece 

• Photo 2: (From left) Mr Steve Simon, CEO of Women’s Tennis Association, Artist Mr Baet Yeok Kuan, Guest-of- Honour Ms Billie Jean King, Mr Oon Jin Teik, CEO of Singapore Sports Hub, and Mr Lim Teck Yin, CEO of Sport Singapore posing for a photo in front of ‘Dream’. 

• Photo 3: Guest-of-Honour Ms Billie Jean King casting her handprints 

• Photo 4: (Back row, from left) Mr Lim Teck Yin, CEO of Sport Singapore, Mr Steve Simon, CEO of Women’s Tennis Association, Mr Oon Jin Teik, CEO of Singapore Sports Hub, and kids from the ActiveSG Tennis Academy, SportCares, WTA Future Stars, and SC Global’s Tennis for Every Child posing for a photo with Ms Billie Jean King’s handprints. 

• Photo 5: (Back row from right) Mr Steve Simon, CEO of Women’s Tennis Association, Mr Lim Teck Yin, CEO of Sport Singapore, Mr Oon Jin Teik, CEO of Singapore Sports Hub, Guest-of-Honour Ms Billie Jean King (lady in red), artist Mr Baet Yeok Kuan (gentleman on the left of Ms Billie Jean King), posing for a photo in front of ‘Dream’, together with kids from the ActiveSG Tennis Academy, SportCares, WTA Future Stars, and SC Global’s Tennis for Every Child. 

ABOUT THE ARTIST 

Baet Yeok Kuan (b.1961) is a Singaporean artist who has received international acclaim, with a strong passion for art education and imparting his skills to the next generation. 

Baet first studied painting at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore, graduating in 1988. He received his MA in Fine Arts from the University of Central England, Birmingham, United Kingdom in 1992. He has won many awards such as the Grand Prize of the UOB Painting of the Year Competition (1987), Second Prize in the Contemporary Art Competition (Sculpture), Area Prize and Judge Prize in the Third Tokyo Urban Art Competition (1994). He was awarded the Young Artist Award by the National Arts Council in 1995. 

In celebration of SG50, Baet was commissioned by the Public Art Trust to create a public art work entitled “24 Hours in Singapore”, an audio sculpture installation capturing sounds of the island. This art work has led him to continue to explore with the medium of metal and spheres. 

Baet is currently the Vice President of the Federation of Art Societies, Singapore. 

ABOUT THE ART PIECE 

The girl’s dress and shoes are inspired by the design created by Ted Tinling and worn by Billie Jean King in the famous “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match held in 1973, where King broke down barriers as she beat Bobby Riggs in her campaign for equal pay and equality in professional tennis and beyond. The entire figure is purple which is a powerful, mystical and happy colour that symbolises passion, compassion and inclusivity. King is one of the world’s leaders in the promotion of gender equality, inclusivity and empowerment of women and girls through sport. As a powerful advocate both on and off the court, she was the first female athlete to be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama for her efforts. 

ABOUT THE SINGAPORE SPORTS HUB 

The Singapore Sports Hub is the region’s premier sports, entertainment and lifestyle hub, with programming that comprises best-in-class competitive sports, entertainment and community events. It is one of the largest sporting infrastructure projects in the world. The multi award-winning project plays a critical role in building a sustainable and competitive advantage for Singapore’s sports and entertainment tourism industry. It also serves as a catalyst for the emergence of sports in Singapore, and helps Singaporeans to live better through sports - be it as a competitor, a participant or a spectator. 

Located on a 35-hectare site at Kallang, the facilities include the National Stadium, Singapore Indoor Stadium, OCBC Aquatic Centre, OCBC Arena, Water Sports Centre, Splash-N-Surf, Kallang Wave Mall, Singapore Sports Museum, Sports Hub Library, Shimano Cycling World, community facilities such as beach volleyball, hard courts, lawn bowls, giant chess, skate park, running and cycling paths, as well as large waterfront and precinct spaces such as the OCBC Square, Arena Park and Stadium Roar. 

ABOUT SPORT SINGAPORE 

As the national sports agency, Sport Singapore’s core purpose is to inspire the Singapore spirit and transform Singapore through sport. Through innovative, fun and meaningful sporting experiences, our mission is to reach out and serve communities across Singapore with passion and pride. With Vision 2030 

– Singapore’s sports master plan, our mandate goes beyond winning medals. Sport Singapore uses sport to create greater sporting opportunities and access, more inclusivity and integration as well as broader development of capabilities. At Sport Singapore, we work with a vast network of public-private-people sector partners for individuals to live better through sports. 

To find out more, visit our websites www.sportsingapore.gov.sg and www.myactivesg.com. Follow us at www.facebook.com/myActiveSG and www.youtube.com/SingaporeSports. 

For photographs, go to www.flickr.com/ssc-sportsphotography. 

ABOUT THE WTA 

The WTA is the global leader in women’s professional sport with more than 2,500 players representing nearly 100 nations competing for a record $146 million in prize money. The 2018 WTA competitive season includes 54 events and four Grand Slams in 30 countries. In 2017, the WTA was watched around the world by a total TV audience of 500 million. The 2018 WTA competitive season concludes with the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global from October 21-28, 2018 and the Hengqin Life WTA Elite Trophy in Zhuhai, China from October 30-November 4, 2018. 

Further information on the WTA can be found at www.wtatennis.com, facebook.com/WTA, and twitter.com/WTA. 

ABOUT THE BNP PARIBAS WTA FINALS SINGAPORE PRESENTED BY SC GLOBAL 

In 2014, Singapore became the first city in Asia Pacific to ever host the prestigious WTA Finals. Over the five years, the local community has embraced the event, and the sport has continued to grow in popularity, building a legacy which will endure beyond the tournament’s tenure here. 

Along with the inaugural edition of the WTA Finals in Singapore, the WTA Future Stars platform was developed in partnership with Sport Singapore and the Singapore Tennis Association, with the support of Peak, SAP and Wilson, to showcase the best of Asia-Pacific’s next generation. It began with just 12 countries and 24 players in its first year, and by the end of 2018, Singapore would have welcomed more than 198 WTA Future Stars participants from 21 countries to compete against each other alongside activities to breed friendship and encourage sportsmanship. 

As part of the event, the community outreach to the next generation has also led to the creation of several grassroots programs to promote the sport, such as the Tennis For Every Child program introduced by the tournament’s presenting sponsor, SC Global, to widen interest and increase participation in the sport amongst students at a grassroots level. 

For tickets and more information on the WTA, please visit www.WTAFinals.com 

For more information on hospitality and booking enquiries, please email [email protected] or call +65 6826 2718. 

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