Singapore Art Scene

I recently concluded my much-needed vacation in Southeast Asia with a trip to Singapore to spend some time with my sister. I was there for a week and since I’ve been to the country a number of times already I just stayed at home to rest. Two days before heading back to the Philippines, I decided to walk around and get my creative juices flowing again.

For just a day, I was able to check out major art spaces in the city and document it. Despite being a small country, Singapore has a thriving art scene and this series is all about that. I’ll share with you five of the most popular art spots that showcase an unfamiliar side of this concrete jungle.

HAJI LANE

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Haji Lane is gaining popularity lately because of the murals you can find around the area. It’s just a small lane but it’s overflowing with art that will surely help boost one’s creativity. The shops and restaurants are designed beautifully. From the interiors to the colorful murals, all were well-thought-out. It’s definitely a hipster spot. There’s a lot of interesting finds for those who love shopping as well.

Artsy shops and restaurants in Haji Lane.

Some of the shops are close during the day. You won’t recognize it once the sun sets. I’ve been here at night before and this place transforms into a long stretch of open bars with tables and chairs set up along the road.

Girl and Lion Cub by Ernest Zacharevic.

The street art here is really impressive. I believe most of them are commissioned by restaurant owners who want their spot to be a tourist magnet and increase their sales. Some of the murals occupied really large walls and that forced me to bring out my fish-eye lens to capture the whole thing.

We all know that Singapore is strict when it comes to implementing laws. Unauthorized graffitis are punishable by law. Despite this, we can still see a considerable amount of street art. In pursuit of further promoting art to its people, the government commissions street artists to showcase their works in designated areas. A move that some see as hindering an artist’s creative freedom.

Street Art by Ernest Zacharevic.

Not only were they visually appealing, these works of art serve a purpose. These street artists are conveying a message to everyone viewing their works. Most of the artworks I’ve seen in this area were from Ernest Zacharevic, a Lithuanian street artist famed for his work on revitalizing the tourism industry in Georgetown, Malaysia through artworks in public spaces.

Street Art by Ernest Zacharevic.

A mural for Piedra Negra by Didier Jaba Mathieu.

The mural in Piedra Negra was most probably the largest and more popular among tourists. Didier Jaba Mathieu created this colorful work of art with his distinct style.

Bright yellow window of a restaurant in Haji Lane.

Street Art near Haji Lane.

A commissioned artwork for Singapura Club’s wall by Ceno2.

It was refreshing to see a black and white mural that’s in strong contrast with all the colorful ones you’ll see in Haji Lane. Ceno2 is the artist behind it. The artists here have different styles. You can easily identify if the same artist did the mural for another wall.

Creative storefront display.

Even mailboxes are artistically decorated in Haji Lane.

Stickers from different artists around the world.

Walls and pipes are decorated with stickers from different artists around the world. Also known as Sticker Bombing, it’s a form of street art where an artist’s logo or any images are printed as stickers and placed randomly on public spaces.

Random poster by an unknown artist.

A street sign that serves as guide for tourists.

NATIONAL GALLERY SINGAPORE

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I’ve always wanted to visit the National Gallery. I heard great reviews about the place and I remember listening to a lecture by someone who did the rebranding for the museum and I was so impressed with their thought process and convinced that it’s a must-see.

The admission for tourists was 30 Singaporean dollars and it grants you access to all the exhibits. For those of you who don’t know, I’m a Fine Arts graduate and part of our curriculum is studying the great painters and their world-renowned paintings. It felt surreal for me to finally see those paintings up close.

National Gallery Singapore’s Rotunda Dome.

The gallery offers activities for kids to enhance their artistic skills.

Art Enthusiast.

The gallery features a lot of interactive rooms for visitors.

I actually don’t have plans at first to buy a ticket for the exhibits. You can go inside the National Gallery and just check out its awe-inspiring architecture. It’s for free. The ticket is for the special exhibits. There were three special exhibits that time - Colours of Impressionism, Ink Flows Through and Between Worlds. When I saw that Claude Monet’s works were part of the exhibit, I bought a ticket right away.

Colours of Impressionism features the masterpieces from Musée d’Orsay, Paris. It tells the story of Impressionism through the colors that the painters used in reshaping the art of painting in the 19th century. Works by Monet, Renoir, Manet, and Cézanne were part of the collection.

The Magpie by Claude Monet.

This painting was what I came here for. Checking out the different exhibits felt like I was in Art History class once again but this time I’m not only looking at pictures but real life paintings. Like most of the people inside the exhibit, I spent a lot of time looking at this painting. I had a lot of questions in mind. I was trying to get inside the mind of the artist while he was painting this. What are the things he considered when he started the painting? Why did he choose this landscape as his subject? And what feeling was he trying to evoke from his audience?

The longer you stare at the painting, the more you appreciate its beauty. the winter landscape and the magpie gives you a feeling of solitude. It showcases the artist’s full mastery in translating the effects of light with the use of colorful shadows that would later on be associated with the Impressionist movement.

Shipwreck in Storm by Raden Saleh.

Another exhibit I was privileged to visit was Between Worlds that features the paintings of Raden Saleh and Juan Luna who are considered as national heroes in their countries. Raden Saleh is from Indonesia while Juan Luna is from the Philippines.

España y Filipinas (Right) by Juan Luna.

I was so proud as a Filipino to see Juan Luna’s work exhibited here. The curator presented his works according to a timeline that highlights defining moments in his career. Seeing his drafts gave me a glimpse into his creative process. More than the final artwork, I’ve always been fascinated to how great works came to life. His most popular painting, Spoliarium, is the centerpiece of the National Museum in the Philippines. It was my first time to see his other paintings.

Herois Anònims by Juan Luna.

The Death of Cleopatra by Juan Luna.

Aside from paintings, there were also exhibits that features photographs from locals that show the way of life of Singaporeans in its early years.

Photographs from one of the free exhibits telling stories of Singaporeans’ way of life.

Don't Give Money to the Arts by Tang Da Wu.

ArtScience Museum

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One of Singapore’s iconic structures, ArtScience Museum is home to world class art and science exhibits. It’s impossible to miss it once you’re near Marina Bay Sands. Its unique lotus flower shape can catch anyone’s attention. The museum’s structure actually symbolizes the welcoming hands of the country.

ARTSCIENCE MUSEUM. The structure itself is a work of art.

Whenever I’m touring a friend in Singapore, I always make sure they visit the ArtScience Museum. The exhibits here are different from other art museums because it infuses art with science. One excellent example of this is the Big Bang Data exhibit that me and my friend checked out before. It is an immersive exhibit that explains the impacts of technology in our lives.

DATA VISUALIZATION. A visualization of the quintillion bytes of data that we create everyday.

UPLOADED PHOTOS. The amount of photos uploaded on Flickr in just one day.

PRIVACY. Nothing is private once it’s uploaded in a public domain.

LIBRARY @ ORCHARD

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I didn’t know this place exists until I’ve read an article about it online. I decided to have a quick visit since it was just near the MRT Station. The admission is free and it’s the perfect spot if you want to read books or work on projects. The library features state-of-the-art interiors and excellent use of curves. It looks so modern and cozy. They have a massive collection of books about design and applied arts. I was able to check out some of it and I’m impressed with the quality of books that they have. I’m definitely visiting this place more often when I get back.

MAIN LIBRARY. The library has a massive collection of books on display.

MAGAZINES. Creatively designed drawers that contains local and international magazines inside.

LADDER. Readers have to use a ladder to get hard-to-reach books.

ENTRANCE. It’s quite easy to spot the entrance because of this use signage.

ORCHARD ROAD

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Orchard is always part of every traveller’s itinerary. Known as a shopping street, you’ll find everything you need plus more for that retail therapy. I was surprised to see how much Orchard has evolved. It now serves as a platform for performers who wish to share their talent out in the public and earn. Different types of performances can now be seen when you walk around. It gave Orchard a more chill and easy vibe. Aside from the modern architecture of the shopping malls, these performances were an added attraction for anyone visiting the area.

STREET PERFORMANCES. You’ll meet a lot of performers while walking along Orchard Road.

The street glows at night as the retail stores light up. It was like seeing a totally different Orchard Road. I took advantage of the lights and tried to find interesting subjects to photograph.

NEON LIGHTS. An old woman patiently waits for her daughter.

CHANGE IS IN ALL OF US. You’ll get to see inspiring messages like this flashing on digital billboards.

BLUE. Storefronts provide interesting lighting perfect for street photographs.

Few minutes away from Orchard is a pop-up market that every millennial would love. It’s called Flashbang. Dubbed as Singapore’s largest creative playground, it features different neon light art installations, food stalls and a fashion market. The best thing about it was you can get in and take those Instagram-worthy photos all for free.

TAKING RISKS. Millennials line up to take photos with these neon light installation.

NOMOPHOBIA. The fear of being unable to use your mobile phone for some reason.

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Art isn’t just confined on the walls of the galleries and museums. The country managed to incorporate art into some of its public spaces. Here are some artistic gems waiting for you to uncover:

A giant baby sculpture by Marc Quinn. (Gardens by the Bay Singapore)

La Famille de Voyageurs by Bruno Catalano (Gardens by the Bay) and First Generation by Chong Fah Cheong (Fullerton Hotel).

Murals by differents artists in Elgin Bridge Underpass.

We can see art everywhere even in the unlikeliest of places. I have observed during that day that most of the walls here are painted with bright colors. Colors can affect one’s emotion. This simple color choice can greatly influence someone having a bad day. Bright colors evoke feelings of happiness. It may just be a painted wall but like artworks, it has the ability to leave an impact to the viewer.

COLORFUL TELEPHONE BOOTH. Singapore likes it bright when it comes to its walls.

HAWKER. Walls on Hawker centers are also painted with bright colors.

Colorful windows in Little India.

This experience made me more appreciative of the arts. Tourism played a major role in the flourishing of the art industry. What was once considered as vandalism is now considered as an art form that contributes in driving foot traffic to a certain area.

The growing interest for different art forms gives us hope that more countries will embrace art and support its local artists. With the initiatives provided by their government and the growing number of art spaces in the country, Singaporean artists are ready to shake up the art scene.

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Thank you for viewing! Let me know what you think of this series.

Warmest regards,
@legendarryll