Man and Environment - Land Transport Authority

CC1 Dhoby Ghaut
Man and Environment
Baet Yoke Kuan
Connecting the heartlands to the buzzing Central
Business District, Dhoby Ghaut Station is one of
Singapore’s most hectic and heavily commuted stations
where three MRT lines interchange. The artwork has
been conceived to relieve the pressures of the frenzied
atmosphere typical of a journey on the MRT with forms
inspired by the balmy textures and sensitive lines
textures abundant in nature. The natural, organic forms
are inserted in the interior of the station as act as a
counterbalance to its architectural scale and hectic
activities of the MRT station, inviting passengers to
touch and interact with this tactile artwork. The cement
reliefs depict patterns that seemingly speak of lotus
pods, lily pads, and footprints on the shore or shifting
sands. They are fragmented pieces of visual poetry
meant to ameliorate even the toughest of life's
migraines, pieces that hope to stay the steps of
commuters but allow their imaginations to be vivified.
Baet Yoke Kuan completed his Diploma in Fine Art (painting) in 1988. He received his Master in Fine Arts
(Sculpture) from the University of Central England, Birmingham, UK, in 1992. His outstanding achievement in
the arena of art also won him the distinguished "Young Artist Award" conferred by the National Arts Council
of Singapore in 1995.
CC2 Bras Basah
The Amazing Neverending Underwater Adventures!
Tan Kai Syng
Is a circle a line? Is a line a circle? Isn’t an oxymoron a contradiction in terms? Leave the real world
behind and join our in-action heroine Desyphus, a Perpetual Commuter, for a spankingly dizzying
ride! Accompany her on a chain of adventures on this Circle Line loop eternally, and help her battle
Life’s Big Quirks, Ecstasies and Agonies along the way. We will also (re-)visit sites familiar or
forgotten/thrown away, and create our own little stories that add more layers to the (hi−)stories –
and the re-telling of these histories by the many museums nearby – of the Bras Basah area. Each
trip begins with a cliffhanging Riddle that You, her Accomplice, must unravel. Is Desyphus floating?
Is she sinking? Where have we come from? Where are we going? Are you back to square one?
And, where in this world is Trip 15? Have a brilliant trip! Music by Philip Tan.
Artist, art curator and educator, Tan Kai Syng questions our ‘realities’ of the here and now. Be it installation,
short film, text, performance, or new media, her work is fiercely personal but always at a critical distant,
with an urgency laced with self-reflexivity. Kai Syng has presented in more than 40 cities and has won
several awards for her innovative and thought provoking video artworks.
CC3 Esplanade
A Piece of Ice-Clear Heart
Lim Mu Hue @ Lim Aik Lee
The large black and white artwork by the late Lim Mu Hue features scenes of shadow puppetry and
other performances enjoyed by the early settlers in Singapore. Consisting of a set of seven pieces of
wood block prints depicting various aspects of theatre, the artwork is a collage of early and later works
by the renowned artist who passed away soon after the completion of this commission. Working
closely with the late artist’s family, LTA has recreated Mu Hue’s wood-cut artworks prints on gigantic
scale. With the station located next to the Esplanade Theatres on the Bay, this will resonate with
modern theatre and concert goers and is a celebration of the essential role that the visual and
performing arts plays in today’s hectic environment.
Lim Mu Hue was born in 1936 in Singapore and graduated from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) in
1955. One of the Singapore’s most renowned art educationalists, Mu Hue enjoyed a long association with NAFA
and taught at the college from 1960 to 1969. He is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of wood cut engraving
and during the course of his long career, he held numerous exhibitions in Singapore, Japan, Taipei and the
United Stated of America. Lim Mu Hue passed away in 2008 and this work is his last and largest commission.
CC4 Promenade
Dreams in Social Cosmic Odyssey
:phunk studio
Dreams in Social Cosmic Odyssey is an
illuminated celebration of our collective
dreams. A promenade, usually next to a
river or large body of water, is an area
where people - couples and families
especially - would go to walk, interact,
participate and be part of 'society'. The
site-specific artwork cleverly plays with
the skylight to illuminate the space with
glowing reflections of the light dancing
from the water droplets of life, creating a
kaleidoscope of patterns on the station
floors, walls and ceilings. It illustrates the
interaction between people and society,
day and night, sky and water.
:phunk is Alvin Tan, Melvin Chee, Jackson Tan and William Chan, a multi-disciplinary art and design collective
based in Singapore. The collective constantly challenge the conventional notion and definition of the 'artist'
and 'commercial design studio' by constantly blurring the boundaries between both, mixing Neo Pop Art
ideology with Post-Modernist design sensibilities. Their artistic approach is best described as “an aesthetic
collective consciousness" focused on experimenting with new approaches to visual expressions. They were
awarded 'Designer of the Year' in 2007 by the President's Design Award, the highest accolade for designers in
Singapore.
CC5 Nicoll Highway
Re-claiming the Peripherals
Khiew Huey Chian
Re-claiming the Peripherals explores how different subjects relating to a place can be developed
through various shapes and formations. These shapes are inspired by or derived from the wild plants of
Singapore. Seen by many as insignificant and redundant, these plants played a key role particularly to
reclaimed land like Nicholl Highway, forming a layer of cover preventing soil erosion and loss, holding
the soil firmly together. They were also the key subjects that left an impression to the artist’s childhood
expedition along this stretch of place, providing endless fascination and imagination with their
interesting shapes and structures. They show that anything can be of value if we just keep an open
mind to observe the potential of things around us.
Born in Singapore in 1969, Khiew Huey Chian is an artist and art educator. Having obtained his Master of Art in
Fine Art (2002) with Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology at LASALLE College of the Arts, he is currently
teaching in the Faculty of Visual Arts at the School Of The Arts, Singapore. He was the recipient for The Japanese
Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Art Award in 2000 and in 2001 he was one of the 10 recipients for the
President’s Young Talents Award.
CC6 Stadium
The Perfect Moment
Roy Zhang
The Perfect Moment is a series of images of the human form in a surreal dreamscape. These stylized
silhouettes, located strategically at each end of the station, present the beauty and simplicity of the
human body during sporting movement. Each human figure is woven together to create a series of
synergic images depicting the moment where beauty, grace and energy are harmonized and captured
in flight, frozen in time. Viewed collectively, these individual sporting movements are made to appear
like a choreographed modern dance recital.
Roy Zhang was pursuing an interior design career when he discovered photography and decided that
photography was a more precise medium with which to express his ideas. Roy Zhang’s fascination for the
aesthetics and of voyeurism led him to begin shooting human subjects. His rich and intense cinematic style
creates beautiful narration and interaction with his viewers. Wildly versatile and with his ever evolving approach
to photography, Roy Zhang continues to develop a roster of international advertising and editorial clients and is
constantly seeking to bring his seductive and provocation narratives to new heights.
CC7 Mountbatten
Lord Mountbatten Thinks of Pink
Jason Wee
Lord Louis 'Dickie' Mountbatten, friend to Noel Coward, Jawaharlal Nehru and Lee Kuan Yew, once
thought it a good idea to paint a fleet of ships pink in wartime. In 1940, he invented Mountbatten Pink
as a naval camouflage colour for the Fifth Flotilla. The naval commander reasoned that pink pigments
will match the colour of the sky at dawn and dusk, making the ships harder to see by the enemy. Using
these unusual connections as inspiration, the artwork depicts a modern container ship at those 'pink'
hours, a vessel typical of those moored off the Fort Road shoreline close to the station. This station,
and Mountbatten Road beside it, is eponymously named after him, the colourful last Viceroy of India.
Jason Wee is an artist and writer. His work includes the photo series 'Captain's Log', the installation '1987' and
the project space Grey Projects. He is the 2005-2006 Whitney Museum Independent Study Program Studio
Fellow, the 2008 Young Artist Award recipient and the 2009 Singapore Art Museum Voters' Prize winner. He is
the editor of the book 'SQ21', which is named a 2006 The Straits Times non-fiction Book of the Year. He lives
between New York and Singapore.
CC8 Dakota
Little things, little stories
A Dose of Light
Little things tell little stories. This artwork
narrates an open-ended story of Dakota
Crescent
through
the
objects
inside
residents’ homes, along the HDB flat
corridors and shared outdoor spaces. This
curation of objects found in Dakota is an
attempt to chronicle a visual history and
narrative of the space before the station is
built. This artwork is a visible time capsule of
the Dakota area. As the new Circle Line
station will necessarily change the aesthetic
and social landscape of Dakota, the objects
documented in this work carries with it a
context of age and as an alternative visual
archive of the estate.
A Dose of Light are Ang Song Nian and Zhao Renhui. They are a collective of multi-disciplinary artists interested in
portraying things from a different perspective. Their vision is to present their dreams and thoughts of Singapore
through everyday scenarios and narratives with a unique aesthetic sensibility. Their work often deals with a reportrayal and re-examination of commonly held beliefs we invest in our spaces, objects and everyday life.
CC9 Paya Lebar
The Signs of Times
Salleh Japar
The artwork traces and reflect the development and the surrounding Paya Lebar precinct; its histories
and landmarks through signs, emblems and motifs from its early beginnings to a customizing new city
spaces via various images of the advertising logos, shop fronts, traffic lights signs, posters stickers,
graffiti writings and road markings. In this artwork, the logo types represent the periods of the district
from the rural kampong community to its present status as a satellite town. The pictographic symbol
includes packed stacking pigs waiting to be feed, the community tap, the wireless tower, dhoby drying
laundry, low flying airplane landing and taking off from nearby airport, cultural icons and the iconic
post office complex, The Signs of Times aims to make viewers relax, smile and dream and at the same
time share the special bond with history that made this area memorable to those who have lived and
to those who visited the area.
Salleh Japar is an artist and a lecturer at LASALLE College of the Arts. He is a recipient of several awards including
Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Visual Art Award and Singapore Youth Award. He has also curated
and participated exhibitions locally and internationally.
CC10 MacPherson
Virtuous Cycle
Kay Kok Chung Oi
Virtuous Cycle signifies the symbolic meaning of Macpherson Station, portraying, the
congregation of human dynamism and its cerebral energy, channelled and sustained by the
‘machinery’ of the station. The colourful arrows signify the public converging upon the
Macpherson vicinity while the red rectangles represent Macpherson Station. The station
performs the role of a conduit, connecting the populace to Macpherson, as well as celebrating
the continuous vibrancy of the Macpherson community itself.
Kay Kok received her Master of Arts in Art Education from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. As an
artist, she frequently resorts to geometric shapes to express her artistic language in terms of history and
culture. Her first solo exhibition, “Distant Call” about the history of Rickshaw Coolies, was highlighted in a
keynote address by renowned historian Professor James Francis Warren at the National Museum of Singapore
in 2007.
CC11 Tai Seng
Equilibrium
Francis Ng
Equilibrium is a visual interplay of forms, colours and layers - qualities that are inherent in any space
but are often taken for granted; qualities that are often looked at with barely more than a cursory
glance, if at all, amid the hustle and bustle of urban living. Using equilateral triangles, grid lines,
transparent and reflective surfaces put together with calculated precision and consideration of scale,
proportionality and balance, this work examines the dynamics of spaces and invites a more considered
attention to our surrounding spaces and the character of spaces we inhabit and commute in. From the
possibilities of shifting perspectives and multiple readings offered by Equilibrium, viewers are free to
take from the work what they want, in the same way they would in their everyday interactions with
spaces they encounter.
Francis Ng has an on-going interest in spaces, truth and identity. He uses his dexterity with materiality,
composition and forms to explore these concepts and to communicate his studies of these ideas. A recipient of
several national and international awards, Francis has presented his artistic visions through the 2003 President’s
Young Talents Exhibition, the 5th Gwangju Biennale, the 50th Venice Biennale and the "Thermocline of Art-New
Asian Waves” Exhibition at the ZKM Museum in Karlsruhe, Germany amongst other platforms. Since 2008,
Francis serves as a member of the Arts Resource Panel of National Arts Council. In 2009, Francis founded
SHOWCASE NUMBER EIGHT ////////, a conceptual platform that champions the cause for creative discourses
amongst other consultative, academic, mentoring and curatorial positions and services he is currently holding.
CC12 Bartley
The Coin Mat
Jane Lee
Coins. We take them for granted. Often we have too
many, sometimes not enough when needed. At Bartley
station, artist Jane Lee has created an artwork that
celebrates the humble coin – 164,800 one-cent coins are
encased within laminated glass panels. Look carefully
and you can see the different colours and imagine the
many journeys each coin has made. Look closer and you
can see two tiny Vanda Miss Joaquim orchids,
Singapore’s National Flower, embossed on the coins. On
the reverse side, the Singapore Coat of Arms is
surrounded by the word ‘Singapore’ in the four official
languages, making this a ‘uniquely Singaporean’ artwork.
At the station entrances, the Coin Mat theme is
reinterpreted as a pattern using 5 and 10-cent coins
printed on the glass panels.
Jane Lee holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in
Painting from LASALLE-SIA College of the
Arts and has won several awards. She was
the first recipient of the Singapore
International Residency Art Prize in 2007.
CC13 Sernagoon
View of Life
Sarkasi Said
In this colourful and joyful artwork, Sarkasi Said shares with us his love of batik. “A work of art is a
view of life expressed in a particular medium and I am like my canting, brushes and dye, just another
medium” says Sarkasi. “I intensely relate my experience in life comparing the rhythm of darkness and
light balancing the composition of the environment developed with melody – in colour – lyrical lines
and construct shapes in harmony”. At Serangoon station, a lifetime of experience and expertise is
combined to create the vibrant artwork with intense colours and literally exudes movement and
motion.
Sarkasi Said is an artist whose practice is firmly rooted in the conviction that art and nature are connected and
are mutually interdependent. A prominent and renowned batik artist, Sarkasi has developed a pictorial language
that is both distinctive and compelling. Sarkasi has received numerous awards and honors throughout his long
career for his artworks.
CC14 Lorong Chuan
Through The Looking Glass
A Dose of Light and Yoma Studio
Through The Looking Glass is a modern day epic, a chronicle
of contemporary Singapore told through a highly-detailed
illustration of Singapore. The colourful and often witty
images show many aspects of life in Singapore, providing a
chronicle of our time. The artwork is in keeping with past
civilisations that used illustrations, drawings and paintings for
documentation and as a story-telling device. A Dose of Light
and Yoma Studio’s work is an investigation into an alternative
documentation and archive of Singapore in 2007. It also
serves as a looking glass into the past for future generations.
A Dose of Light and Yoma Studio are Yong Ding Li, Ang Song Nian, Zhao Renhui, Sai Zom Pha and Juliana Ong. They
are a collective of multi-disciplinary artists and designers interested in portraying things from a different
perspective. Their vision is to present their dreams and thoughts of Singapore through everyday scenarios and
narratives with a unique aesthetic sensibility. Their work often deals with a re-portrayal and re-examination of
commonly held beliefs we invest in our spaces, objects and everyday life.
CC15 Bishan
Move!
Soh Ee Shuan
‘Move!’ explores notions of travel, speed, progress and change amid a tableau of oversized people,
tourists, scientists, flying commuters, gossipmongers and creatures. A large part of Soh’s artwork
involves the creation of non-linear, spontaneous and overcrowded habitats and characters that are
interconnected and thriving, often with surreal and humorous imagery. While the drawings are created
in response to a city shaped largely by rules, research and systematic planning, both are seemingly
cluttered, constructed, and constantly in flux. These different worlds coexisting are at the heart of
Soh’s work. In all three murals, there are familiar themes of family, work-life balance, occupation, and
a wanton obsession with materialism, success and happiness. It is through this improvised ecosystem
that Soh’s work transports the commuter out of the ordinary and injects excitement into our daily
journeys.
Soh Ee Shaun is a self-taught artist who enjoys spontaneous and whimsical drawings. Soh’s work revels in the
unexpected twists, mistakes, irreverence and surprises in the drawing and narratives within the illustration. The
organic images are reminiscent of surrealism, graphics, graffiti and pop art fused into a lush, evocative and
colourful landscape.
CC16 Marymount
Superstring
Joshua Yang
The work consists of a series of singlecontinuous line drawings where the line neither
overlaps nor breaks. The drawing of the art wall,
with the dimensions of gaps and positions of
bolts. The artist aims to bring out the
inconsistencies
between
the
planned
construction and the final wall which the viewer
is facing. The drawing surrounding the ticket
machines allows the viewer to see through the
glass and the structures behind. In some ways it
is a parody of the age-old technique of singlepoint perspective drawing to create an imagined
three-dimensional
space;
here
the
three-
dimensional space is compressed with a singlecontinuous line so that the viewer becomes
aware of the fourth dimension: Time.
Joshua Yang makes single-continuous line
drawing which have become recognised as
the Superstring series. He uses these
drawings
as
a
metaphor
for
the
Superstring Theory, which attempts to
explain the workings of the entire universe
through tiny vibrations called ‘strings’ that
make up and connect everything. The
drawings themselves have been read as
attempts to connect scientific theory
through artistic expression.
CC17 Caldecott
The Cartography of Memories
Hazel Lim
The Cartography of Memories is a tribute to the places we
love and the houses we lived in. Gathered through
contributions from a hundred local residents and friends
of the artist, this map of the larger vicinity of the Thomson
and Caldecott areas is a collection of their personal
histories, nostalgic memories and anecdotes of Singapore.
By charting the streets, reservoir, houses and landforms of
this area with their stories, it allows for their personal
narratives to traverse the landscape of Singapore as the
country shifts, changes and progresses over time.
The notions of displacement, construction of histories, maps
and imaginary landscapes in particular those relating to
Singapore are concerns Hazel Lim often addresses in her works.
By surveying the changes in the country, she examines and
portrays the memories that slip through the gaps of the recent
past and are constantly renewed through her paintings,
drawings, photography and writings.
CC19 Botanic Gardens
Aquatic Fauna No.1
Lam Hoi Lit and Chua Chye Teck
Aquatic Fauna No.1 is a symbolic representation of the organic beauty of Mother Nature’s biodiversity.
The artwork is based on the aesthetics of traditional Chinese paper cuttings and woodblock print methods
and the use of various motifs inspired by the tropical landscape unique to Singapore’s geographical
position in the Asian tropical region. Produced in response to the station’s close proximity to the Singapore
Botanic Gardens, this site-specific artwork attempts to bridge awareness towards the preservation and
conservation of the natural ecological environments that remains amidst fast progression of urban
developments.
Aquatic Fauna No.1 is an artistic collaboration between two Singaporean contemporary artists, Lam Hoi Lit a.k.a
Kai Lam and Chua Chye Teck. Both graduated in 2002 from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University
with Bachelor of Arts in Sculpture and Fine Art respectively. Kai Lam is a multi-disciplinary artist and is currently an
active member of The Artists Village and Sculpture Society of Singapore. Chua, although majored in sculpture; is
also a multi-disciplinary artist and professionally trained in photography.
CC20 Farrer Road
Art Lineage
Erzan B Adam
Art Lineage explores how multi- and inter-cultural
relationships within a community interact and negotiate to
co-exist. The lines distinct to each ‘artist’, is the creation of
the community. The final artwork is a compositional play of
these lines to show how different races and cultures within
the community can interact harmoniously to co-exist. With
involvement of the community and the use of lines as the
sole element, this artwork emphasizes unity, conceptually
and visually. Erzan’s work is essentially a reflection of
Singapore’s integrated multi-racial
and
multi-cultural
society.
Erzan B Adam obtained his Bachelor for Contemporary Art from
the University of Tasmania and was admitted to the Dean’s Roll of
Excellence in 2004. He completed his Masters in Fine Art with
LASALLE College of the Arts in 2008. His works explore the
tangible and intangible elements in art and life and how tensions
and frictions brought about by ‘relationship’ negotiates to coexist. Through the ideas of distribution of space and treatment of
the surface, he investigates the compositional ‘play’ in the
context of abstraction.
CC21 Holland Village
Holland Beat
Jeremy Sharma
This artwork reflects the culture and heartbeat of Holland
Village. Holland V has a diverse crowd of expatriates,
youth and heartlanders. It has trendy cafes and old-world
charm, bustling areas and quiet retreats. Here the mythical
Windmill reminds you of Holland, but this ‘Holland’ is
really named after Hugh Holland, an early resident who
was an architect and an amateur actor. An old airline
safety card, chosen for its colour scheme and clean lines to
match the station interior, inspired its design. Created
through a process of drawing, collage and digital
manipulation, the final artwork has a very retrocontemporary feel about it. The figures are arranged in a
way that has a flow and non-linear narrative in relation to
space and imagery.
Jeremy Sharma completed his postgraduate studies with the
Master of Art (Fine Art) programme at the LASALLE-SIA College
of The Arts Singapore/Open University UK in 2006. Sharma was
the winner of the Della Butcher Award, Singapore (1999) for
Excellence in Painting and an Honorable Mention at the Philip
Morris Singapore-ASEAN Art Awards (2003 & 2005). His practice
has always involved traversing the different modes of painting
and creating inventive strategies to continue the dialogue on
the role of modernism.
CC22 Buona Vista
The Tree of Life
Gilles Massot
Scenic tropical greenery along South Buona Vista were the
earliest impressions Massot had of Singapore when he first
arrived in 1981. This strong sense of nature and greenery and its
association to the name Buona Vista inspired this artwork.
Situated close to Rochester and Nepal Parks, The Tree of Life is
an attempt to bring the over-ground landscape to the
underground station. This eucalyptus tree, though not an
indigenous species, has been selected as the subject for its
shape and texture of the bark, as well as the colour to
complement the colour scheme of the station. Dimension and
movement created through the use of tiling technique brings
life to the station space.
After studying architecture and eventually graduating in photography,
Gilles came to Singapore from France in 1981 to work in advertising.
His earliest involvement with the local art scene saw him contribute to
the development of street art performance for the first three editions
of the Singapore Arts Festival Fringe. In 1985, travel photography and
writing became the focus of his professional work, which eventually
resulted in long-term researches on Asian civilisations. His artistic
work is characterised by an emphasis on historical and ethnological
topics, developed from the perspective of photography theory.
CC23 one-north
A Visual Narrative Pandemonic Rhythmic Movement
Yek Wong
This triptych is a visual metaphor of the operational timeline of the Mass Rapid Transit system. The
zigzagging intertwining looping dance-like linear elements weaving through time (from left to right)
represent passengers’ daily commutes. The pulsating background of shifting magenta, cyan, pink,
orange, green and black give the illusion of the progression of time. Viewed as a whole, each of the
three panels resembles time-lapsed video or photography of commuters getting into the train to get
to their destinations: getting off the train to go to work, go to lunch, finish work; and get home. The
image of the entire MRT system depicted in an abstract manner, is a narration of synchronizedchaos and rhythmic-poetry from morning (left panel), to afternoon (middle panel), and into evening
(right panel).
Yek Wong completed his Bachelor of Arts with the University of Texas at Austin in 1994 and received his
Masters in Fine Arts from the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. He spent a large portion of his education
and artistic career in the American west coast, soaking up more than just its sunshine. His artistic
sensibilities, as a result, took on a ‘cool’ (in aspects of colours, light and space) and ‘ironic’ (in philosophical
outlook) tone.
CC24 Kent Ridge
Poetry Mix-up
Mixed Reality Lab
Interacting by reciting or writing poetry has been an important
cultural practice from ancient times. However, the interests of
the modern generation with their absorption in rapidly
emerging technologies, tends to provide less regard and
appreciation for traditional literary practices such as poetry.
Conversely, cultural computing uses various methods to model
the established cultures, allowing users to interact and
experience these
cultures through modern computing
applications. This work combines traditional literary work with
modern digital technology to create a familiar and enjoyable
platform for the new generation to appreciate traditional
literary works. Poetry Mix-up encourages users to experience
the creation of a ‘remixed’ variety of poetry by sending a SMS
to a digital poetry generator. Be creative. Express yourself.
Send a SMS now and unleash the poet in me!
The developers of Poetry Mix-Up Adrian David Cheok, Owen Noel Newton
Fernando, Nimesha Ranasinghe, Kening Zhu, Janaka Prasad Wijesena,
Chamari Edirisinghe and Akki Reddy Challa are from Mixed Reality Lab
(MXR) of National University of Singapore. Their vision is to push the
boundaries of research into interactive new media technologies through
the combination of technology, art, and creativity. The key objectives of the
MXR Lab are to create a world centre of excellence for interactive media
and entertainment technology to provide a multi-disciplinary project-based
learning environment for students to modify creative media technology to
promote the economic development of Singapore; and to open new doors
for creativity for inventive and innovative students.
CC25 Haw Par Villa
Eroclamation
Tan Wee Lit
Much of the west side of Singapore is reclaimed land. As
Singapore continues to undergo development and
construction, traces of our history have been gradually
replaced and consigned to memory. Consisting of various
iconic landmarks of the West, the work presents these
distinct features in the tradition of a paper-cut that aims
to re-capture the tranquillity of a past longed for. The
omnipresent construction machinery juxtaposed against
the serenity of the composition represents their
naturalized integration into our everyday environment
and the integral role they play in social progress and
urban development. Literally the ‘movers and shakers’,
these machines are the modern symbols that epitomize
the necessary evil of creation and destruction, birth and
death. As erosion and reclamation of both our land and
values occur- what do we want to keep?
Tan Wee Lit graduated from the School of the Art Institute of
Chicago with an MFA in Sculpture and had his first solo exhibition
at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago (2008). He has
represented
Singapore
in
the
exhibition
‘Identities
vs
Globalisation’ in Berlin, Chiangmai and Bangkok (2004) and has
also exhibited at the ‘Fifth Outdoor Sculpture Biennial’ in
Baltimore (2008), ‘Urban Contemporary Art Trail’ in UK (2008),
and ‘Emerging Artists’ in Illinois (2007). He was a recipient of the
Graduate Fellowship Award from the School of the Art Institute
of Chicago, Grand Prize Winner for the Singapore Sculpture
CC26 Pasir Panjang
Lieutenant Adnan
Ho Tzu Nyen
Lieutenant Adnan Saidi was a 27 year old infantry officer whose
bravery and eventual sacrifice, in one of the fiercest battles in
Singapore’s history, makes him the stuff of legends. This is the Battle
of Pasir Panjang, fought against the Japanese during World War Two.
Situated in close proximity to the battle site, this artwork at Pasir
Panjang station honours the fighting spirit of this war hero, by taking
the form of an imaginary film, featuring in the leading, titular role,
popular real-life action star, Aaron Aziz. The artwork comprises three
sets of images, namely: a vertical centrepiece at the lift shaft, a diptych
at both ends of the platform, and a quartet of images at the concourse,
near to the station control. The vertical centrepiece takes the form of
film-stills that sequentially reconstruct a heroic action, while the
platform diptych narrates the life story of Lieutenant Adnan. Finally,
the concourse quartet enacts a moment of the battle in the classical
style of western ‘history paintings’. These three sets of images are
positioned to encourage commuters to actively piece the artwork
together through the exploration of the station space, while
uncovering a fragment of Singapore’s history.
Ho Tzu Nyen is an artist and filmmaker whose projects are characterised by the
investigation and incorporation of important cultural moments as their material. His
art projects have been presented in exhibitions such as the Venice Biennale (2011); the
6th Asia-Pacific Triennial (2009); the 1st Singapore Biennale (2006); the 3rd Fukuoka
Asian Art Triennale (2005); and the 26th Sao Paulo Biennale (2004). His theatrical
experiments have been presented at Theater der Welt (2010), KunstenFestivaldesArts
(2006, 2008) and Singapore Arts Festival (2006, 2008). His films have been shown at
film festivals such as the 64
th
Locarno International Film Festival (2011); the 41st
Directors' Fortnight, Cannes Film Festival (2009); and the 66th Venice International
Film Festival (2009).
CC27 Labrador Park
Without Which/ Would Have Been/ Impossible
Heman Chong
This artwork explores the notion of balance between
different forms of living things, each dependent on each
other in an intricate manner. Labrador Park is a
representation of this commitment to achieve balance
between urban development and the natural world,
ensuring an ecological future for Singapore. Chong’s work
consists of two elements. The main motif is generated out
of a microscopic view of a single rock found at the park,
highlighting the distinctive identity of Labrador Park as the
last surviving rocky sea cliff in Singapore. The second
element,
WITHOUT WHICH/
WOULD
HAVE
BEEN/
IMPOSSIBLE is inspired by one of literature’s most minimal
forms – haiku. The often reference of haiku to nature
complements the elementary object in this work.
Developed as a monument, the artwork invites commuters
to reflect in fundamental concepts, discovering the
interconnectivity and deeper understanding in them.
Heman Chong is an artist, curator and writer. His art practice
involves an investigation into the philosophies, reasons and
methods of individuals and communities imagining the future.
Charged with a conceptual drive, this research is then adapted
into objects, images, installations, situations or texts.
CC28 Telok Blangah
Notes Towards a Museum of Cooking Pot Bay
Michael Lee
Notes Towards a Museum of Cooking Pot Bay investigates
Telok Blangah as a site of ever-evolving ideas. Beginning
with archival research about Telok Blangah, this work
takes a literary leap of faith to weave different episodes
taking place all at once: It draws links among the
neighbourhood’s past, present and future, while stumbling
on things here, there and nowhere. The outcome of this
exercise is a hypothetical museum for the community of
Telok Blangah. As with any institution that studies, collects
and displays artefacts of lasting interest, this proposed
museum has 5 galleries that highlight key points about the
places, people, events, objects both movable and
immovable, and ecology of Telok Blangah. Presented here
is a mind map about such a museum.
Michael Lee is an artist and curator based in Singapore. His
research addresses representations of the built environment,
especially the contexts and implications of its lost elements. His
observations are mainly transformed into objects, diagrams,
situations, curations or essays. His art projects have been
presented in exhibitions such as The 2nd Asia Trienniale
Manchester 2011 (Chinese Art Center, Manchester), The 3rd
Singapore Biennale 2011 (Old Kallang Airport, Singapore), and
The 8th Shanghai Biennale 2010 (Shanghai Art Museum). He
was a recipient of the Young Artist Award (Visual Arts) 2005,
conferred by the National Arts Council, Singapore.
CC29 HabourFront
Commuting Waves
Jason Ong
The artwork consisting of a pair of three-dimensional
waveforms draws a contextual link between HarbourFront
and train commuters. It is derived through elements of
chance by computing the travel patterns of commuters on a
particular weekday and weekend. The pitch and spacing of
the glass planes represent the passenger volumes and train
frequencies during the operating hours. The fragmented
planes developed through repetitions and variations are
influenced by the gradual process of transformation in
minimalist music while the arrangement of the colours and
the images of HarbourFront water are determined by the
principle of serial music composition. Commuting Waves is
essentially a reflection of the rhythm and flow of human
activities captured in time.
Jason Ong is an independent designer engaging in multidisciplinary work. Since setting up his practice, Jienshu, in
2005, he has been working on furniture, product, exhibition
and set design projects. Ong was the first designer selected to
showcase at the President's Young Talent Exhibition in 2005.
He attained his Master in Design with Distinction from the
Domus Academy in Milan in 2002. He lectures part-time in
design at the Nanyang Technological University, the National
University of Singapore and the Nanyang Academy of Fine
Arts. Seeing art and design as a reflection of the human self,
his work often explores themes concerning the human
conditions and the communication of humanistic values.