DOWNTOWN LINE 2: ART IN TRANSIT
The 12 stations of Downtown Line 2 are due to open on Dec 27.
But here is your chance to see the murals and art installations that will be greeting passengers along the 16.6km stretch.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) Art in Transit programme was launched in 1997 to add a touch of beauty to the daily commute.
The artworks have been designed to integrate with the station finishes and cover aspects of the past, present and future.
Here's a sneak peek of what's to come from the top of the line.
BUKIT PANJANG
THE THEME:
Bukit Panjang means "long hills" in Malay. The row of tall HDB flats subtly suggests the long hilly landscape. The giant Kampong boys peeking beyond the HDB flats represent their curiosity. As citizens, we should be adventurous, taking risks in exploring or identities and seeking out better opportunities.
CASHEW
THE THEME:
In 1968, the vision of Singapore as “Garden City” was conceived by then Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew – the key epithets being “green and clean”. Yet on a space challenged island, high-rise living poses serious difficulty in owning and maintaining a private garden. Undeterred, creative residents have carved out niches of green spaces wherever possible.
This work pays homage to the island’s creative high-rise gardeners. Using a collage of everyday items found within Singaporean homes; like toilet brushes and other domestic items, the artist metamorphoses them into the “flowers” and “grasses” of picturesque gardens.
HILLVIEW
THE THEME:
This is a body of photographic work that documents the remnants of the KTM railway line in the form of the steel bridge nearest to Hillview Station as well as the stretches of railway tracks left at the sites of all three bridges.
BEAUTY WORLD
THE THEME:
The artwork presents the multi-cultural mix of language as the result of multi-culturalism, and invites the viewers’ aesthetic intuition to ‘hover’ between reading and looking.
Spanning 91.2 metres, it was created by Boedi Widjaja, 40, an Indonesia-born artist who has been living in Singapore for the past 31 years.
The artwork comprises Chinese, Jawi, Tamil and Latin words and letterforms that were layered upon each other in rhythm patterns then sandblasted into the wall.
“I can’t wait to bring my nine-year-old daughter to see my artwork when the station opens. I want her to be proud of me,” said Widjaja.
KING ALBERT PARK
The Natural History of Singapore's Mythical Botanic Creatures by Artists Caravan (Chan Mei Hsien, Long Ying Han, Soh Pei Ling Joey)
THE THEME:
A whimsical narrative illustrating the juxtaposition between natural and built habitats in our environment. Strategically positioned in nooks and corners of the station, the mythical biological collection instigates curious cues to activate dialogue of our oscillating environment.
In collaboration with students from Methodist Girls’ Secondary School and botany experts, Ms Tan Beng Chiak and Ms Kok Oi Yee, the secret lives of mythical creatures from Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, in King Albert Park station are revealed.
TAN KAH HEE
THE THEME:
Resilience is composed of streams of colourful handwritten text. Up close, Resilience reveals a myriad of inspirational reflections on moments of determination, as well as tributes to human endeavours that endure in our mindset. When viewed from a distance, words dissolve into bands of white and yellow, forming the blazing sun that shares its light through thick and thin, without fail.
Gratitude reveals a myriad of rousing tributes to those who have walked before us, as well as heart- warming reflections on those walking by our side in the present. When viewed from a distance, words dissolve into trickles of blue and green, forming the running river that connects us all to our rich history and cultural heritage.
BOTANIC GARDENS
THE THEME:
It produces oxygen, sustaining life itself.
It provides wood, food, medicine and shade.
It is home to many animals and other living organisms.
It is merely labelled on its functions and form.
What is a tree? And how do we encounter it?
Located in different parts of the station, various vistas of one of Singapore’s best-loved trees, the Tembusu on the front lawn of the Singapore Botanic
Gardens, are created to pose the ontological questions.
STEVENS
This work illustrates existing patterns in nature that constitute an historical dimension of the junctions of Stevens and Bukit Timah. In the 19th century the area was the natural habitat for biodiversity with an expanse of various exotic plantations crops. The manually stamp printed artwork evidences both visual and textural identities, using instances of nutmeg and rubber tree foliage, seeds and fruits. The purpose is to evoke to daily commuters the distinct historical and natural identity of the surrounding area.
NEWTON
THE THEME:
Newton draws inspiration from our city and Newton heritage, featuring the imagined landscape of Singapore in 2200. Most importantly, it envisions an alternate reality of how it may look as we progress, evolve and develop to new heights and deep under, using our ingenuity, mindfulness and creativity.
The self-proclaimed introvert says that the easiest way for her to communicate is through her drawings.
“I’m not very good with words. Sometimes I overthink the things I say before I talk. By then, the moment’s already over,” said Ms Tan, with a chuckle.
LITTLE INDIA
THE THEME:
The soft curves of the architectural features in Little India Station set the backdrop for Woven Field - a landscape of tessellated triangular configurations inspired by the singhaulia woven patterns commonly seen in the traditional sari. The beauty of the sari cloth lies in its intricate and repetitive geometric patterns, shaped by the weaving of the lengthwise warp and widthwise weft yarns.
ROCHOR
THE THEME:
These local vintage objects, acquired from The Thieves' Market, are featured deliberately in Tracing Memories to convey the impression of a motherboard. Executed in three styles of image making, from simple pencil drawing to monoprint and modern digital drawing, the artwork attempts to examine the binary reflections of what Singapore's youths share, while living in a contemporary city: a fascination with technological advancement through the latest gadgets and gear, as well as sentimentality for history, tradition and memorabilia.
LTA is holding an Open House event on Dec 5 where members of the public can participate in a variety of fun activities, meet celebrities and get a free preview of the twelve new Downtown Line 2 stations.
For more information go to LTA.gov.org
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