New York street artist Futura wears SAF uniform in photoshoot, triggers netizens

Can the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) uniform be worn casually as a jacket or fashion statement? 

Definitely not, if we’re going by the Decorations and Uniforms Act. Anyone caught for the unauthorised use of any part of the naval, military, air or police force uniforms — including badges and medals — can be convicted in the Magistrate’s Court. Guilty parties can be fined up to $400 or jailed up to three months. 

Being a legendary graffiti artist, Leonard Hilton McGurr aka Futura isn’t exactly known for being a stickler for rules. The 64-year-old New York native donned familiar military fatigues in a picture posted by streetwear publication Highsnobiety. 

Posted on the Highsnobiety Instagram page last Friday, the street artist can be seen holding up a peace sign while wearing the SAF No. 4 top, complete with his name stitched on. He’s no stranger to the fashion scene either, thanks to several high-profile collaborations with COMME des GARÇONS, Supreme, Off-White, Nike, Uniqlo and many more. 

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His legacy as the godfather of contemporary street art was ignored by many Singaporeans online, who expressed offence that he was casually wearing an SAF uniform. 

National Service meme page Memedef reposted Futura’s picture, eliciting a whole new round of hostile comments online. 

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It was Futura himself that responded to the triggered netizens, clarifying how he meant no disrespect to the SAF, and that it was not “stolen valour” like what some netizens are accusing him of.

According to him, he first visited Singapore back in 1975 as a US Navy officer for joint military exercises with the SAF, which would usually end with the exchange of uniforms between the military forces. 

He lost that uniform sometime in the 1980s, he said, but managed to find a new one to replace it when he came to Singapore last year for a solo exhibition. In fact, the exhibition was titled Constellation — a nod to the US Navy supercarrier that he sailed on during his first visit here. 

“I finally came back last year, and this is just a souvenir, and a memory of my history in SINGAPORE,” he affirmed on Instagram. 

“No stolen valour, no disrespect.”

Though there are some who still believe that Futura is in the wrong, he has quite a fair share of supporters who think that it’s perfectly fine. 

The usage of SAF uniforms has been a touchy subject in the past, including the time when a marketing campaign organised by The National Geographic Channel was publicly denounced by the Singapore Army over the use of its fatigues. 

More recently, the Ministry of Defence filed a police report after highly explicit images surfaced on Twitter, showcasing two semi-uniformed men engaged in the throes of an unorthodox sexual activity. 

“Inappropriate acts involving our uniforms are disrespectful to our servicemen and women, and undermines their dedication and commitment in the defence of our country,” Mindef stated to AsiaOne then. 

ilyas@asiaone.com