"What is soft power?... It arises from the attractiveness of a country's culture, political ideals and policy."
Joseph S. Nye Jr.
When I consider Singapore’s history, including the aggression they have faced and the subsequent vulnerability that still inspires the Singapore brand of a friend to all, public diplomacy, as a soft power tool, helps Singapore unite with other powerful nations, while maintaining their independence. Reginald Wee highlighted Singapore’s official brand in the Singapore International Foundation’s logo ‘making friends for a better world.’ It could be argued that international relations are traditionally influenced by public diplomacy surrounding a nation’s economy and military. However cultural diplomacy, as a form of soft power, is increasingly favoured in Singapore to demonstrate national values through the cultural exchange of favourable images of Singapore’s development and historical memory.
I never thought of art as a tool for diplomacy and the reinforcement of identity through social constructivism. However, a visit to the National Gallery quickly highlighted Singapore’s growing reliance on cultural diplomacy as a means of reinforcing national pride. Art is more appealing than policy. As art is globally recognised as an outlet for individual expression and self-empowerment, I understand why Singapore may utilise arts to strengthen national branding and expand transnational dialogues. This is through the use of carefully selected pieces that demonstrate national, and regional development. The Gallery, as an institute of memory, reinforces a strong Singaporean identity as it demonstrates Singapore’s self-branding as the cultural hub of Southeast Asia. The Gallery displays images from artists throughout Asia, thus establishing Singapore as the place to go for Asian art.
By featuring Claude Monet’s impressionist paintings, Singapore exhibits their cultural cooperation with France, with this exchange of images strengthening the status of Singapore as the creative hub of the region, just as Paris is in Europe. Singapore, by networking with such influential nations through cultural diplomacy, both fosters mutual understanding with powerful nations and draws the public to their city.