Singapore’s Public Art

Street

Art

By Jonathan Berg, Author, Birmingham’s Public Art Street art is very different here in Singapore compared to back home in Birmingham. I got the impression that Singapore has seen the rise of interest in street art around the world and realised it is an important component of the artistic side of a truly world city. However, the more anarchic aspects of graffiti certainly do not sit well with the level of control that Singapore exerts over artistic embellishment of the built environment. So ad hoc street artistry is very rare. This leads to a very different feel and presentation of street art in Singapore compared to my home city. In the areas we visited one artist, a former accountant, Yip Yew Chong, dominated the street art scene… we just show a couple of perhaps six murals that we saw during our stay here - but his website shows it all in a lot more detail……

Walking tours essential

Our two walking tours of Singsapore introduced us to a lot of street art. Older street art murals brighten up subways and newer murals by Yip Yew are found in the older parts of the central district. However, mural art is not really a component of the CBD itself with its preference for very high end sculptural installations. The street art we saw on our walking tours certainly helped explain the history of Singapore. The guides were both knowledgeable about the works we saw and also candid about the lack of graffiti on show.

Control over street art not confined

to Singapore

Looking back on the street art of Singapore it was clearly much more controlled than back in Birmingham – but that was hardly unexpected. To be honest those who have painted graffiti over my favourite pieces by Annatomix back home can annoy - but we accept that it goes with the territory. The mix - from a quick tag to high end commissioned street art and everything in between, adds so much. Here, however, in Singapore street art will certainly last longer! We travelled on to Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide after Singapore. What we had experienced in Singapore focussed my mind on the control of street art in those three cities is well. Certainly these Australian cities actually could also be argued to have much more control over street art and graffiti than we see in Digbeth and other parts of Birmingham.

Eunice and Cheyenne shows us some Yip Yew Chong murals and Cheyenne points to the illegal graffiti stickers and tells us what the penalties are if caught! • If you visit Singapore then check out our favourite walking tour company: www.indiesingapore.com, for a great walking tour experience. • Guides Eunice and Cheyenne were personable and hugely knowledgeable in all aspects of Singapore life - just incredible tour guides. For me their knowledge of street art was so helpful. Their nuanced answers to our sometimes quite cheeky questions really helped in understanding Singapore. If you visit then get on tour with them and have some fun - book here…..

Other Buying Options

• Publisher website - Use Buy Now button to left • Amazon: Available worldwide - put in the title and ISBN: Birmingham’s Public Art ISBN978 1 7396457 1 7 • Ebay: Special offer from the Author with worldwide delivery here: