While artistic mischief and vandalism is sternly frowned upon in Singapore, official, sanctioned calls for street art, mural painting, and graffiti art have brought out wonderful examples of the diversity of Singaporean street artists. Their work can be viewed in a number of neighborhoods and businesses around the country, and can even serve as a public art draw for tourists in Singapore. An art website recently featured the work of ten graffiti artists working in Singapore, including pictures of their work and links to their social media accounts so fans could follow their progress.
Ceno2 is one of the foremost recognizable graffiti artists in Singapore. In one of his pieces, a woman in an oversized red hat with a floppy brim looks directly into the eyes of the viewer. The woman is sipping a drink out of a mason jar mug, her fingers poised over the ombre liquid inside, hair cascading down her shoulder, working its way loose from a braid.
The work of ANTZ covers multiple canvases, including more than just walls and building facades. On a wok covered with white paint, ANTZ presents an almost cubist take on a cat or bear, dividing the shape into triangles of different sizes, colors, and patterns.
Two other artists, Jawigrafi and Scryptk, use language to create their graffiti art. Incorporating everything from everyday words and mandalas to the Arabic alphabet and calligraphy, the mesmerizing pieces beg closer examination, giving off a prayerful feel. The two artists even recently collaborated on a piece together.
Hearts and Kraft is a new artist on the Singapore graffiti circuit. She, too, uses mandalas to create arresting displays of color, pattern, and repetition. Mandalas are often used in meditation and relaxation, and her designs are especially thoughtful, incorporating jewel tones and intricate line work.
SYCO03 has completed murals around Singapore and even scored gigs for larger corporations like Converse, the shoe company. For a mural for the Singapore LNG Corporation, SYCO03 used bright colors to pay homage to the workers at the facility, punctuated with neons and primary colors. Likewise, TraseOne’s work can be found in Little India stretched over walls, celebrating the local culture there.
ZERO is another graffiti artist who takes his art to the next level by combining it with current events and themes across society. One such piece features a modern portrait of a man with a fluffy halo of hair and sunglasses. “Working Class Hero” is spray painted beside the gorgeous rendering.
Ink and Clog, a duo of graffiti artists, use grids and lines to draw interest to their wall work, including commissions from businesses to showcase their names in creative ways.
Slacsatu, when not painting gigantic graffiti takes on Care Bears, is an art teacher and the founder of a graffiti collective, spreading graffiti love to new students.
Enroll in an art class of your own today — perhaps even in graffiti art — via SGArtClass.com.
To learn more about the graffiti artists and find links to their social media accounts, go to http://www.buro247.sg/culture/news/singapore-graffiti-artists-design.html.