Art in Transit

The Art in Transit (AIT) programme is Singapore's largest public art showcase. Under the AIT programme, local artists are commissioned to create original artworks for MRT stations, providing an opportunity for the artists to celebrate Singapore’s local history and community. The artworks are also platforms for integrating humour or curiosity into the station architectural finishes. These become a permanent source of delight for the millions of commuters who travel daily on the rail network.

Started in 1997 with North East Line, the AIT programme enhances the daily journeys of millions of commuters. It brings captivating artworks closer to commuters and turns train stations into places that connect the community and the arts.

Image artists working with architects, contractors and project teams in the creation of their artwork

A Platform to Showcase Singapore Artists

LTA conducts a Public Call for each new rail line, for artists to submit their portfolios and curriculum vitae for the Curators’ review. The process is overseen by the Art Review Panel (ARP) and LTA, and encourages a wide-ranging selection of both established and upcoming artists for the AIT programme. With this programme, the artists work with architects, contractors and project teams in the creation of their artwork and gain valuable insights into the rigours of producing a permanent public artwork.

This is an image of the community viewing the artwork

Strengthening Community Bond & People’s Sense of Identity

Some of the commissioned artists involve the local community that live and work nearby to directly participate or contribute stories to the artwork. The final piece celebrates their history, identity, and community bond.

Not Your Average Public Art

Bringing artistic and construction expertise together, the artists’ manipulation of standard building materials integrates their artwork with the architectural finishes of the station. This ensures that the cost of creating the artwork is reasonable and created pieces have stories to be enjoyed by generations to come.

To date, we have:

Statistics on Art in Transit. Till date, we have: 92 Stations, 96 Artists, 24 School Participation, 16 Neighbourhood Participation, More than 400 Artworks.

Key People behind each Artwork

Behind every artwork, there are numerous people who play a part, from conceptualising the artwork, to bringing it to life in the station. Three of the key parties that LTA appoints are:

The Art Review Panel (ARP) which comprises of artists, art educators, architects and representatives from relevant agencies and institutions. They provide art-focused advice and guidance in the development of the artwork.
Curators who provide expert advice and leadership in the development and implementation of the AIT programme within the assigned stations.
Artists who produce the artwork in line with each station’s context and design.

Public Call for Artists

The public call for the Cross Island Line’s Art in Transit programme is now closed. We thank you for your interest and submissions.

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

Look out for updates on this page for future public calls.

Interested to find out more? Take a walking tour to learn about the various art pieces, contact us or explore the gallery in this page!

Gallery

Circle Line

Circle Line

CC1: Dhoby Ghaut

Man and Environment
by Baet Yeok Kuan

The 36 white gypsum sculptures of ‘Man and Environment’ are spread evenly across three pillars, depicting things such as rocks, plants, textures and wall cracks. These enlarged depictions encourage commuters to be more aware of little details in their surroundings that they fail to notice during their commute.

CC2: Bras Basah

The Amazing Neverending Underwater Adventures!
by Tan Kai Syng

The artist plays the protagonist, Desyphus, a “Perpetual Commuter” on an adventure on the Circle Line. The videos projected on the wall below the station’s water-filled glass skylight takes commuters through themes of travel, time, memory and the train line.

CC3: Esplanade

A Piece of Ice-Clear Heart
by Lim Mu Hue @ Lim Aik Lee

The last and largest work by the late wood-cut engraving artist, this black-and-white piece pays homage to theatre. Scenes of early settlers in Singapore enjoying shadow puppetry and other performances are presented across seven enlarged woodblock prints, which commuters will see while en route to the nearby Esplanade Theatres on the Bay.

CC4: Promenade

Dreams in Social Cosmic Odyssey
by PHUNK

According to its creators, this installation is an “illuminated celebration of our collective dreams”. Suspended under a skylight over escalators, the droplets playfully reflect rays and create a moving kaleidoscope on the station floors. These waves of light mirror the ebb and flow of commuter traffic and reflects the interaction of passengers in transit with the art piece.

CC5: Nicoll Highway

Re-Claiming The Peripherals
by Khiew Huey Chian

Four large reliefs above the platform doors showcase overlooked wild plants that play a key role in holding soil together on reclaimed land, which the station was built on. The artwork gives a starring role to these unappreciated plants and aims to remind commuters of how there is value in everything if they just take a closer look.

CC6: Stadium

The Perfect Moment
by Roy Zhang

This series of floating human silhouettes represent the beauty, energy and fluidity of the human body during sports. Grace, form and power are captured in flight to form a dynamic set piece reminiscent of a dance recital in the air.

CC7: Mountbatten

Lord Mountbatten Thinks of Pink
by Jason Wee

Legend has it that British naval commander, Lord Louis Mountbatten, painted his ships “Mountbatten Pink” during World War II – he claimed it was an effective camouflage at dawn and dusk. This tactic was never proven, but he survived the war and had a road next to this station named in his honour.

This photo series shows a modern ship during “pink” hours, paying tribute to the eccentric idea.

CC8: Dakota

Little Things, Little Stories
by A Dose of Light

This artwork captures the colourful everyday life in the Dakota Cresent heartlands. The large art piece features household objects found inside and outside residents’ homes, along the HDB flat corridors and other shared spaces.

By recording these items, it also acts as a visible archive of the area.

CC9: Paya Lebar

The Signs of Times
by Salleh Japar

The colourful and abstract pictographs are inspired by the evolution of the district from rural village to satellite town. It features icons related to different stages of Paya Lebar’s development, such as symbols of pigs in a pig sty, a community tap, a dhoby laundry man, the iconic post office complex and airplanes landing and taking off.

CC10: Macpherson

Virtuous Cycle
by Kay Kok Chung Oi

This colourful artwork depicts the daily movement of people. With arrows and shapes in multiple colours, the piece captures the dynamism, vibrancy and diversity in the Macpherson neighbourhood, with Singapore’s major ethnic groups represented by the colours.

CC11: Tai Seng

Equilibrium
by Francis Ng

Two colourful displays of equilateral triangles reflect off one another to metaphorically explore the relationship between commuters in the hustle of modern life. This richly-hued expression of beautiful ordered chaos also represents the organic and dynamic movements of the business and industries in the area.

CC12: Bartley

The Coin Mat
by Jane Lee

Coins were used to pay for public transport in the past and still used today at ticketing machines. This striking canvas of 164,800 one-cent coins showcases Singapore’s visual heritage through the tiny Vanda Miss Joaquim orchids on these out of circulation pieces. The varying tones and depths of copper reflect the different journeys that each coin has taken.

CC13: Serangoon

View of Life
by Sarkasi Said

The sweeping painting of bold colours and brushstrokes celebrates the development of Singapore from swamp to bustling city. The artist created a painting to express movement in change and nature, capturing the optimism, joy and vitality he felt for Singapore’s achievements.

CC14: Lorong Chuan

Through the Looking Glass
by A Dose of Light & Yoma Studio

This work combines the nation’s history, culture, geography and major events into a colourful and tongue-in-cheek map. It is filled with familiar landmarks like the Singapore flyer, Changi Airport and HDB public Housing Estates and peppered with caricatures such as Merlions and Sang Nila Utama on a boat.

CC15: Bishan

Move!
by Soh Ee Shaun

The densely packed murals depict the artist’s feelings about the mindless rush of commuters in a train station. The three murals depicting daily life, family and the heartlands with a whimsical twist – students fly to school on rockets and animal-headed executives are rushing to work in a surreal world.

CC16: Marymount

Superstring
by Joshua Yang

Three drawings are each made up of only a single continuous line. The line represents a train journey where one traverses between time and space – it not only connects the MRT stations but also serves as a record of time. The 5-by-8.4m piece above the ticketing machine even shows the blueprint of the station, giving commuters a peek behind the construction of the station.

CC17: Caldecott

The Cartography of Memories
by Hazel Lim

Memories make a place.

The artist used written recollections from people about their most memorable places in Singapore and created a textual record of Singapore’s changing landscape, presented as a topography of the station’s surroundings.

CC19: Botanic Gardens

Aquatic Fauna No. 1
by Lam Hoi Lit & Chua Chye Teck

Nature is brought onto the platform with a large mural inspired by the traditional technique of Chinese paper cutting. Paper cuttings of different varieties of plants, seeds, branches, fish and rocks are complemented by a water feature inside the station, serving as a prelude for commuters journeying to the Botanic Gardens.

CC20: Farrer Road

Art Lineage
by Erzan Bin Adam

The artist roped in 300 members of the community to create this lively collection of lines and brushstrokes in a celebratory riot of colour. The art is meant to represent the “in-between spaces” where identity is formed – not by what is there, but what is in-between.

CC21: Holland Village

Holland Beat
by Jeremy Sharma

Holland Village’s vibrant everyday scenes are depicted in a style reminiscent of American pop art. The artist made drawings from photographs he took after spending a day in the neighbourhood to capture its vibe.

CC22: Buona Vista

The Tree of Life
by Gilles Massot

Playing on the station’s name, which is Italian for “good view”, the artist used a photomontage technique to show a single 9m tall tree in the station. The reconstituted image represents how we usually view tall trees in parts, instead of as a whole.

CC23: one-north

A Visual Narrative of Pandemonic Rhythmic Movement
by Yek Wong

This colourful triptych is a visual metaphor for life in the train station, part of a system that moves people around throughout the day. Representing the seemingly chaotic daily movement of commuters, the series of white lines over a pulsating background of colours captures the station’s dynamism.

CC24: Kent Ridge

Poetry Mix-Up
by Mixed Reality Lab

This interactive art piece allows commuters to send a text message to ‘Poetry Mix-up’ and watch as a poem is generated by an algorithm and projected on a screen at the station’s lift shaft. Besides bringing back the art of writing poetry, the artist aims to encourage commuters to look up from their mobile screens and live in the moment.

CC25: Haw Par Villa

Eroclamation
by Tan Wee Lit

The artist used iconic landmarks in western Singapore and created an imaginary black-and-white vista against the grey backdrop of the station. Inspired by the area’s history as a swamp before it was reclaimed, the artist drew parallels with Haw Par Villa’s themes of mortality and reincarnation.

CC26: Pasir Panjang

Lieutenant Adnan
by Ho Tzu Nyen

This set of posters promote an imaginary film on the birth and death of Lieutenant Adnan, a World War II hero who fought at the Battle of Pasir Panjang, which took place near the station. Commuters learn snippets of Lieutenant Adnan’s story through the posters spread across the station.

CC27: Labrador Park

Without Which / Would Have Been / Impossible
by Heman Chong

This ambiguous piece on the platform’s lift shaft comprises patterns of coloured dots that were inspired by the rocky shores of Labrador beach, together with its title, ‘Without Which/ Would Have Been/ Impossible’. The artist meant for it to be open to commuter’s interpretation, and aims to encourage them to think about things they do not understand.

CC28: Telok Blangah

Notes Towards a Museum of Cooking Pot Bay
by Michael Lee

The mind map of interconnected relationships offer a detailed yet nuanced understanding of Telok Blangah. Presented as a plan for a hypothetical community museum, the work draws connections between objects, buildings, places, people and nature. It presents established facts with solid lines and unverified information with dotted ones.

CC29: HarbourFront

Commuting Waves
by Jason Ong

The artist captured the sounds and rhythm of everyday commuters and the train frequency as well as the volume of passengers coming into HarbourFront MRT station through a single turnstile. This data was translated visually for weekday and weekend traffic, alluding to the human rhythm at the interchange.

CE1: Bayfront

When the Ship Comes In
by Lee Wen

The art piece celebrates Singapore’s rich history as a port of call, located on major trade routes in South-East Asia. The mural is a collage of different drawings of ships by Singaporeans aged 7 to 12 based on historical images but with a dose of fantasy and imagination. The work celebrates history and the hopes for a better future.

CE2: Marina Bay

Train Rides on Rainy Days
by Nah Yong En

Just as rain brings cool relief and wash the city anew, this collection of images brings a refreshing element of nature into the underground station. The 14 raindrop photos depict scenes that commuters can see if they looked out of the window during a rainy train ride above ground.

Downtown Line

Downtown Line

DT1: Bukit Panjang

Punctum of the Long Hills
by John Clang

Two giant-sized boys peek around public housing blocks, signifying a sense of curiosity and the spirit of adventure. The rows of tall blocks allude to the hilly landscape of Bukit Panjang, which means “long hills” in Malay.

DT2: Cashew

Project Eden
by Donna Ong

This work pays homage to Singapore’s creative high-rise gardeners. It presents a collage of everyday items found within Singaporean homes, such as toilet brushes, arranged to form flowers and plants in picturesque gardens.

DT3: Hillview

What Remains
by Darren Soh

This body of photographic work documents the remnants of the Malaysian KTM railway line that ran for the last time in June 2011. It captures the iconic structures that formed the rail line, such as the steel bridge near Hillview Station and the railway tracks that were left behind.

DT5: Beauty World

Asemic Lines
by Boedi Widjaja

Featuring a mix of letterforms from Chinese, Tamil, Latin and Jawi – layered upon one another – this work highlights multi-culturalism and diversity. It invites commuters to view it as both art and writing and ‘hover’ between reading and looking.

DT6: King Albert Park

The Natural History of Singapore's Mythical Botanic Creatures
by Soh Pei Ling, Chan Mei Hsien & Long Yinghan (Artists Caravan)

Fantastical bronze creatures make their home in the station’s nooks and crannies. They serve as a whimsical reminder of the wildlife that populate the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve located near the station, as well as the juxtaposition of nature and the built environment.

DT8: Tan Kah Kee

Gratitude (饮水思源) and Resilience (自强不息)
by Hwa Chong Institution

The Chinese idiom for resilience (自强不息) dissolves into bands of white and yellow to form a blazing sun that shares its light through thick and thin. The words for gratitude (饮水思源) are presented in blue and green, symbolising a running river that connects us to our history and cultural heritage.

DT9: Botanic Gardens

WHAT IS A TREE?
by Shirley Soh

Trees presented in different mediums around the station pay tribute to its namesake and Singapore’s widespread greenery. The iconic Tembusu tree appears as a photograph, metal artwork and sandblasted silhouette, are accompanied by quotes by poets, artists and nature lovers found on the station’s floor.

DT10: Stevens

PIN – 23040
by Om Mee Ai

As a nod to the nature and history in the Stevens and Bukit Timah area surrounding the station, this work highlights manually stamped patterns of the foliage, seeds and fruits of nutmeg and rubber trees. These crops occupied the area back in the 19th century.

DT11: Newton

Newton
by Tan Zi Xi (MessyMsxi)

This intricate piece illustrates an imagined Singapore in 2200. Reflecting our nation’s constant urge to progress and adapt to changes, the mural presents an alternate reality of Singapore’s landscape above ground and underwater.

DT12: Little India

Woven Field
by Grace Tan

The glimmering installation of geometric patterns made of aluminium was inspired by the patterns in traditional Indian saris. The tessellated triangular patterns also integrate the notion of weaving, interlacing the architecture and artwork to form a single entity.

DT13: Rochor

Tracing Memories
by LASALLE College of the Arts

This bright green lift shaft features local vintage objects acquired from The Thieves’ Market against a backdrop that looks motherboard. The piece attempts to contrast the binary reflections of Singapore’s youths, who live in a world of gadgets and technology but are nostalgic for history and tradition.

DT14: Bugis

Ephemeral
by Patrick Chia

This interactive piece prompts commuters to pay closer attention to their surroundings and look up from their mobile devices to engage with art. Coloured discs hidden behind the glass panels can only be spotted from certain angles by those who are curious enough to look.

DT15: Promenade

Earthcake
by Ana Prvacki

The dynamic art piece examines the geology and traditions of Singapore, focusing on the layers of cultural sediments. Visually, it also reminds one of colourful local kuehs, shedding light on Singapore’s multi-cultural food to traditions.

DT16: Bayfront

When the Ship Comes in
by Lee Wen

The art piece celebrates Singapore’s rich history as a port of call, located on major trade routes in South-East Asia. The mural is a collage of different drawings of ships by Singaporeans aged 7 to 12 based on historical images but with a dose of fantasy and imagination. The work celebrates history and the hopes for a better future.

DT17: Downtown

Leaves
by Jason Lim

Inspired by bamboo leaves, the mosaic gradient depict the dense network of plant cells seen at the molecular level. This serves as a metaphor for the station as the heart of Downtown, with a multitude of businesses located around it.

DT18: Telok Ayer

Charm of Bay
by Lim Shing Ee

Telok Ayer – meaning “Bay Water” in Malay – was where Chinese immigrants first set foot in Singapore. This piece celebrates the area’s history and of with cheerful abstract forms inspired by plantations and water.

DT19: Chinatown

Flying Colours
by Cheo Chai-Hiang

The everyday scene of laundry on a clothesline is given a creative twist with plenty of colour and an illusion of movement, as if the clothes are reacting to the flow of commuter traffic around the station.

DT20: Fort Canning

Through His Eyes
by Lim Tze Peng

The energetic history of a bustling port is depicted in a series of watercolour paintings, which imagines what Sir Stamford Raffles might have seen from his house on Fort Canning Hill.

DT21: Bencoolen

Tracing Memories
by Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA)

800 original photographs of buildings, people and objects were collected and used to create a collage of life-size student bodies. These forms lead commuters from the station to NAFA and Singapore Management University.

DT22: Jalan Besar

A Kaleidoscopic World
by Lydia Wong

Featuring images of vibrant scenes and items from the former Sungei Road Thieves Market, this piece expresses the spirit and energy of the area and its community. The angled and juxtaposed images create a sense of personal journey and experience; similar to looking into a kaleidoscope.

DT23: Bendemeer

And A New World
by Cristene Chang

Impressions and memories of Bendemeer inspired the artist to create an artwork that celebrates patterns found in local fabrics and architectural motifs on the buildings found in the area.

DT24: Geylang Bahru

Constructed Memories
by Marienne Yang

This series of pictograms recreates daily sights and scenes, injecting them into the daily commute. From a bag of kopi-o to construction workers hard at work, these pictograms add fun and intrigue in unexpected places around the station.

DT25: Mattar

Agar Panel
by Genevieve Chua

In a nod to the religious landscape around Mattar Road, the artist transformed agarwood shavings – a rare type of wood used in incense and perfumes – into a cosmic landscape. The work acts as a subtle wayfinding device, leading commuters to and from the platform and concourse.

DT26: MacPherson

Trails of Thoughts
by Aminah Mohd Sa'at (Neng)

This typographical installation captures the thoughts and sentiments of 27 MacPherson residents who were interviewed during the National Day celebrations in 2013.

The artwork is rendered in Singapore’s four official languages: English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil.

DT27: Ubi

Staple
by Zainudin Samsuri

In Malay, 'Ubi' refers to the tapioca plant. This artwork comprises of a stainless steel sculpture & stainless steel inlays onto granite floor representing the tuberous plant and an abstraction of its roots. The skeletal silhouette of the roots symbolises solidarity in Singapore's multiracial and multicultural society.

DT28: Kaki Bukit

Welcome to Kaki Bukit
by Hans Tan

The artist invited a diverse community of residents, workers and students around the station to write 'Welcome to Kaki Bukit' while filming their every hand-motion while writing. These handwritten messages create a dynamic digital welcome signage that greets commuters as they descend the escalators.

DT29: Bedok North

Dedaun Masa (Leaves of Time)
by Ahmad Abu Bakar

The artist aims to harmonise the station with its environment by bringing nature, community, history into the station atmosphere. The types of leaves were chosen from the trees surrounding the station.

DT30: Bedok Reservoir

Somewhere Else
by Ng Chee Yong

Inspired by the waterbody that the station is named after, this artwork represents the connections between the movement of water and flow of human traffic through a station.

The work also includes a typographical installation on the lift shaft and a stylised flow bench.

DT31: Tampines West

Welcome to Jingapore!
by Jing Quek

The artist photographed 200 members of the community around the stations during a five-day public event. These photos were combined with images of landmarks and things from around the area to form a collage that reflects the energy and optimism of the neighbourhood.

DT32: Tampines

The Big Round & The Tall Long
by Studio Juju

Comprising a white round structure and a orange-red long one, this set of large geometrical forms brings a sense of calm and order into the station environment.

The shapes on the wall are complemented by reflecting benches on the platform, creating a sense of symmetry.

DT33: Tampines East

DT34: Upper Changi

I Am Anonymous
by Boo Junfeng

The artist invited the students from Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) to contribute their fingerprints and adjectives that describe their current selves which made the artwork a time capsule capturing the self-ascribed identities of university students at a point of time before they embark on their adulthood. Presented in lenticular technology, the adjectives are embedded in their fingerprints, only to reveal themselves at specific angles as commuters view the piece.

DT35: Expo

A Banquet
by Yeo Chee Kiong

The artist meant for the two reflective isometric chairs and a bulbous speech balloon to not only signify the importance of organic communication in an era of technological advancement and digital media but also the spirit of free trade. Having the surrounding colours of the station reflected in the artwork’s shiny surfaces, transformed them into two sets of magnificent kaleidoscopes which also symbolises cultural exchange.

North East Line

North East Line

NE1: Harbourfront

Enigmatic Appearances
by Ian Woo

To reflect the station’s maritime theme and port location, this work features abstract shapes that hint at sea creatures, clouds, trees, ships and footprints. The silkscreened artworks are spread over 60 vitreous enamel wall panels throughout the station, echoing the transience of water, travel and voyages.

NE3: Outram Park

Memories
by Wang Lu Sheng

The bold colours and graphic elements in this series of paintings are inspired by the surrounding area’s cultural heritage. One of the artworks in this series features a collage of symbols related to Chinese opera, law or medicine which represent visual memories of Outram Park.

NE3: Outram Park

Commuters
by Teo Eng Seng

Emerging from and melting into the walls of the station, 69 reliefs of surreal human forms accompany commuters as they make their way through the station.

Intended to represent the commuters’ state of mind, these art pieces offer snippets of movement and form, inviting viewers to fill in the blanks. The buildings, landmarks & objects featured in the artwork also serve as a form of wayfinding for the commuters.

NE4: Chinatown

The Phoenix's-Eye Domain
by Tan Swie Hian

This work captures the journey, nobilty and strength of Singapore’s Chinese forefathers. A richly-coloured phoenix mural adorns the concourse wall, while an accompanying poem written by the artist in three sets of rhyming couplets is presented in granite tiles.

NE5: Clarke Quay

The Reflections
by Chua Ek Kay

This work presents the theme of reflections in two ways: through a 60-metre mural that depicts life on the Singapore River and an acid-etched brass panel that calls to mind the sight of light glinting off a water surface. Both pieces celebrate the energy and life that surrounds the river through which the station runs.

These artworks are also accompanied by floor tiles of the painted eyes found on tongkangs or Chinese junks which help guide commuters through the station.

NE6: Dhoby Ghaut

Interchange
by Milenko & Delia Prvacki

As the title suggest, this large-scale artwork represents the interchange between the stations lines that run through Dhoby Ghaut. A marriage of ceramic and mosaic works that span walls, climb columns and sprawl over the station floor, they draw upon the cultural richness and artistic heritage of Singapore and the region, as well as ideas of permanent movement.

NE6: Dhoby Ghaut

Universal Language
by Sun Yu-Li

Spread across the station are some 180 pieces of art tiled into the floors and columns. Featuring various sets of prehistoric symbols such as hunters, fishes and birds, acting as wayfinding icons which lead the commuters towards the columns that signify each route of the station.

These symbols also come together to form a large floor mural and vibrant mosaic wall panel at the main concourse.

NE7: Little India

Memoirs of the Past
by S. Chandrasekaran

This series of evocative, sepia-toned works celebrate Indian culture through traditional Indian folk art forms and elaborate bronze and granite floor works. Stylised animal paintings adorn the walls, alluding to the buffalo stables that gave the surrounding area its local name.

NE8: Farrer Park

Rhythmic Exuberance
by Poh Siew Wah

Wall murals on football, swimming and athletics exuberantly capture the surrounding area’s sporting past – a stadium and turf club were located here in pre-war days. The black ink brush drawings alternate with paintings of abstract shapes and lines in pastel colours to depict movement, dynamism and vibrancy.

NE9: Boon Keng

Metamorphosis
by Lim Poh Teck

Icons of everyday life are woven into colourful, child-like paintings that offer a glimpse of Boon Keng's past and present. Take a closer look at the interactive art scattered around the station to spot whimsical details amid the busy landscapes of figures and scenery.

NE10: Potong Pasir

Point of View
by Matthew Ngui

This contemporary work combines graffitied words from the aspirations of ordinary people and everyday images viewed in an intriguing ways. The anamorphic art is only revealed in full when viewed from a certain angle, coming together to form images of surprising detail and depth.

NE11: Woodleigh

Slow Motion
by April Ng

Prints of commuters are etched on zinc plates on the station walls. These offer a candid and casual snapshot of people walking, interacting or going about their day, immortalising this slice of urban life for posterity.

NE12: Serangoon

Memories of Childhood
by Eng Joo Heng

Woodcut prints rendered in striking primary colours give this work a heart-warming and joyful look back at childhood. The colourful, distinctly textured images of children at play, accompanied by dragonflies, baby birds and puppies, capture the innocence and wonder of childhood.

NE13: Kovan

The Trade-off
by Eng Tow

This work juxtaposes topographical maps from 1945 and the present day, making a commentary on time and progress in the Kovan area. One largely agricultural and the other depicting expressways and new developments, the maps are made from granite and stainless steel inlays set on the station floor and complemented by cartographic symbols.

NE14: Hougang

Hands Up for Hougang
by Seck Yok Ying

Hougang station showcases a community art made from the handprints of 3,000 people from babies and grandmothers to foreign workers and community leaders. Originally imprinted in wet clay, these handprints were later transferred onto the concrete wall and arranged in a seamless sequence.

NE15: Buangkok

Water, Nature & Contemporary
by Vincent Leow

Bold colours and graphic patterns fused with old black-and-white photos of life in Singapore are embellished with dots, graphic motifs and bands to create an experimental commentary on the vitality of Buangkok New Town.

NE16: Sengkang

T.R.A.N.S.I.T.I.O.N.S.
by Koh Bee Liang

Stained glass windows filter light into the station, filling it with coloured rays. The glass murals mark Sengkang’s changes from kampongs to high-raised buildings that are now part of the landscape. Like time passing, the work also changes throughout the day with the transition of the sun across the sky.

NE17: Punggol

Water, Landscape & Future
by Goh Beng Kwan

Intensely hued but with a unique clarity, these representations of water, the seaside, kampongs and trees are painted on layers on glass. Featuring thin layers of hand-painted glass embedded with fragments of materials, the work has a shimmering effect that changes with the viewing angle.

Thomson-East Coast Line

Thomson-East Coast Line

TE1: Woodlands North

New Departures
by Amanda Heng

Crossing borders is an essential part of our lives that enables us to encounter new possibilities.

The artist invites individuals to share their experiences doing exactly that. Their stories are placed in the wide-open sky where there are no boundaries. Through this work, the artist seeks to understand how individuals address the conflicting desires of staying within their comfort zones, while fulfilling the need to widen their horizons.

Montage of skyline comprises photos taken between 2015 and 2018.

TE2: Woodlands

The Day’s Thoughts of a Homespun Journey into Night
by Terence Lin

Just as home is a solace for us to dream comfortably, these transport forms feature cosy fabric patterns that inspire us to experience home, even as we travel around. Like a tapestry of the intertwining routes that we take, the vehicle drivers’ state of mind and thoughts are “projected” from the headlights into thought bubbles,

Through this artwork, commuters are offered new insights about the surroundings along the travelling routes we take, day and night.

TE3: Woodlands South

3652 x 50
by Kng Mian Tze

3652 x 50 is a time capsule containing 50 promises made by participants who live, work or study around the Woodlands South station. These promises are made to themselves about what they intend to achieve in 10 years’ time. The project began in 2013 in anticipation that by the time the station opened, the participants would have entered different chapters of their lives. The daily commute may be seen as merely getting from point A to B, but it can also be a journey of life in which we can choose how we want it to unfold.

TE4: Springleaf

Tree of Memories
by Koh Hong Teng

The main feature of the artwork is the banyan tree, juxtaposed with buildings, imaginatively interpreted characters and artefacts taken from the unique blend of nostalgic shophouses and lush greenery around Springleaf estate. This makes the artwork a study of the integration of the place, people, nature and the spatial connection between them. The artwork is a whimsical composition that invites the busy commuter to wander into a familiar yet enchanted, magical world amidst their transit.

TE5: Lentor

Interlude for Lentor
by Tan Guo-Liang

‘Interlude for Lentor’ takes its inspiration from the area around the station, and in particular, Teachers’ Estate where the roads are named after famous poets and philosophers. Inspired by the meaning and the location, the artist created a visual score that resembles musical notations and calligraphic scripts.

Commuters are invited to read the visual score as they traverse the station, to enjoy an interlude amidst their busy day.

TE6: Mayflower

Bird Sculptures
by Song-Ming Ang

This series of 22 bird sculptures is inspired by the thriving songbird watching community in the neighbourhood. Ang’s bird sculptures are scattered throughout the seven station entrances and train platform, portraying that the birds have found their way into the station by accident.

The seven species represented in Ang’s sculptures are the most common birds kept as pets in Singapore and Southeast Asia. They include the oriental white-eye, red-whiskered bulbul, zebra dove, laughing thrush, white-rumped shama, yellow canary and blue ﬂycatcher.

TE7: Bright Hill

A Kaleidoscopic Nature
by anGie seah

anGie’s art is inﬂuenced by her childhood memories of growing up in Bright Hill, playing around the neighbourhood and the nearby Bishan Park which became the main form of the artwork.

In line with the nature inspired station design, the artwork features microscopic details of forms, colours, lines and networks of plants found in Bishan Park. These reﬂects the bonds developed within the communities like the network found in nature.

The artwork also features motifs of “reﬂections” on the ﬂoor which together with the bright artwork on the lift shaft, depict the idea of light and shadow from Bright Hill.

TE8: Upper Thomson

Lost In Our (Concrete) Jungle
by Troy Chin

With the largest nature reserve on the island just a short distance away, this neighbourhood is no stranger to curious visitors from all walks of life. Sometimes, these include the indigenous residents of the long-tailed variety. And it seems like a number of them have gotten lost in this station. Could you spare some time to show these macaques the way home if you happen to ﬁnd them? They would greatly appreciate it!

TE9: Caldecott

: ) ( :
by Claire Lim

‘:) (:’ transforms the station’s walls into a screen which greets us by saying HELLO :) when we arrive and depart. The station walls appear to be grinning at us, presenting a static performance of dancing strings with smileys. They absorb murmurs through the station’s acoustic panels, while emitting a silent message for artwork audiences or simply passengers.

The artwork transforms the daily commuters into fascinating characters as they transit to and from the station; carrying ﬂows of energy and giving meaning to the station.

TE11: Stevens

A Syllabus For Stevens
by Shubigi Rao

‘A Syllabus for Stevens’ is inspired by the station’s proximity to several schools as well as the artist’s love of books and wordplay.

Together with students from Raffles Girls’ School which used to be located nearby, Rao generated a book list in 2015 of whimsical, funny, and wishful subjects for the artwork, featuring subject titles students wish were taught in schools. Mimicking long library-like shelves of books, ‘A Syllabus for Stevens’ showcases solid ‘book spines’ with engraved titles that allude to unheard-of branches of knowledge. The book spines are overlaid with limestone chalk, such that the materials (chalk on slate) are another pun about education.

The artwork captures the brief, youthful irreverence of schoolgirls, permanently engraved with the gravitas of a stone library.

TE12: Napier

Botanical Art
by National Parks Board

With Napier station located next to Singapore Botanic Gardens—a UNESCO World Heritage Site managed by the National Parks Board (NParks)—this artwork is a tapestry of the Gardens’ rich collections of botanical paintings, which were originally used for research and education.

The pieces are adapted from late 19th and early 20th century paintings by the artists James and Charles de Alwis. The de Alwis brothers were born into a family of artists in Sri Lanka and were recruited to work as botanical artists in the Gardens by Henry Nicholas Ridley (Director of the Gardens from 1888 to 1912).

The paintings were selected by Christina Soh (former librarian at the Gardens), and digitally enhanced and composed by NParks' resident designer, Lim Yn Sheao. Originals of the paintings from the Gardens' collections can be viewed at the Botanical Art Gallery in the Gardens' Gallop Extension.

TE13: Orchard Boulevard

PULSE
by Twardzik Ching Chor Leng

This artwork features a network of industrial scale pipes interposed with gleaming and colourful entry and exit points.

'PULSE' is a self-contained system that depicts the flow of resources and people (commuters) transferred daily across our urban environment, through infrastructure such as the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system.

The artwork looms as a visual metaphor reflecting on these vital systems like transporting vital nutrients and oxygen, pulsating to keep our body/city alive.

TE14: Orchard

Scotts Road / Orchard Road from ION Sky
by Mintio

Encounter the lights of Orchard Road as you emerge from Orchard station.

This artwork captures the night lights taken from the vantage point of ION Sky, as a form of cartography (map-making) as well as mark-making. The length of an entire roll of film was used to trace the area as one seamless image, unlike typical frame-by-frame photography. With a panoramic camera and medium format photographic film, the lights were captured layer by layer, with multiple exposures. These render the bird’s-eye view of Orchard Road into abstraction, as if one is looking into the night sky, gazing at the stars.

TE15: Great World

Great World, Great Times
by Deanna Ng

Advertisements reveal signs of their times. Looking at them takes us back to a different time and space.

‘Great World, Great Times’ was inspired by the artist’s parents’ wedding photo taken near Great World in the 1970s’. Each photograph is based on an old advertisement but re-enacted with present day participants, and features choral singers, sports wrestlers, an opera performer and a film curator. Viewers are invited to accompany them on this evocative rumination of what the past used to be and what the future might hold.

Logo of Shaw Brothers, Sky, Atlantic and Globe Theatres and movie poster of Penarek Beca are reproduced with courtesy from The Shaw Organisation.

TE16: Havelock

Havelock Traces
by Anonymous

‘Havelock Traces’ attempts to recreate the pre-independence buildings of the Havelock precinct. The artwork sheds light on the history of the area, the community that used to exist there, and the impact of urban renewal.

Archival drawings of the ‘lost’ buildings of Havelock Road offer a glimpse into town planning in pre-independence Singapore and how it affected the way we lived and worked. As commuters enter the station from the different entrances, they will encounter fragments of buildings and structures that reveal a glimpse into the past.

Archival drawings courtesy of Building Control Division collection, National Archives of Singapore. Archival drawings have been modified for the purpose of creating the artwork.

TE17: Outram Park

mata-mata
by Hafiz Osman

"Mata" means eye in Malay, and 'mata-mata' refers to a policeman. Both terms inspired this community-generated visual map of the area around Outram Park station, which includes the Police Cantonment Complex located nearby. Members of the public were invited to contribute photos of objects in the neighbourhood. The photos were then jointly converted by the contributors and the artist into drawings. The result is a celebration of the different things that make up this community space beyond just geography. What do we see and remember, and how do we connect them to each other?

TE18: Maxwell

Old Chinatown In New Maxwell Life
by Justin Lee

Inspired by his upbringing in the Chinatown-Maxwell area, the artist hopes to create a series of artworks based on public buildings, people and the rich culture and heritage of Singapore. It is a journey into how Singaporeans ate, played and dressed in the past, with icons such as a hawker food street, light-bulbs, Samsui women, clouds and a popular Chinese quote about food consumption in everyday life.

TE19: Shenton Way

Everyday Singapore 每日所见
by Quek Kiat Sing

Shenton Way is the financial hub of Singapore. The artwork juxtaposes the daily activities of the people here with our old currencies. People looking up at the Foreign Exchange Index are likened to bird watchers in the park. The Lau Pa Sat lunch crowd is a daily scene depicted too. People queuing at the ATM and ticket machines can see themselves mirrored in the murals, along with a humorous take on lunchtime joggers who are seen ‘running' after a banknote (junk boat series).

Many of the models in the paintings are the artist’s own family and friends. Where art imitates life, 'Everyday Singapore每日所见' is a reflection of ourselves.

TE20: Marina Bay

Walking Into The Interstitial
by Tang Ling Nah

Taking the form of trompe l’œil murals, the artwork draws attention to everyday spaces easily missed by commuters on the go. It also bridges the old Central Business District (CBD) and the new financial centre in Marina Bay, where this station is located.

The artist created original charcoal drawings which were then scanned and printed onto vitreous enamel panels. The artwork takes reference from the stairways, doors, windows and interstitial spaces, such as alleys and corridors, found in areas like Cecil Street, Raffles Place and Shenton Way in the old CBD. The old CBD is transposed into the new financial centre, creating uncanny moments of ‘unfamiliar’ familiarity and invoking memories of an ever-changing city.

TE22: Gardens by the Bay

Planting Shadows
by Vertical Submarine

This artwork is a further exploration of the artists’ interest in botany, and linking it to visual language and history. Shadows of tropical plants are used as furtive images to echo the presence and absence of nature in our urban environment.

’Planting Shadows’ was adapted from botanical drawings produced during the colonial era, to trace the past to present landmark of Gardens by the Bay, where we see the cultivation and celebration of nature.

Other Art Projects

Other Art Projects

CE2: Marina Bay

Flowers in Blossom II
by Tay Chee Toh

The mobile of delicate sculptures resembling flowers was originally hung in Orchard station. It was re-commissioned as homage to the legacy of art in Singapore’s MRT train stations, from before the Art in Transit programme was launched in 1997 for the North East Line.

NS28: Marina South Pier

SG50 Singapore Tapestry
by Delia Prvacki

Formed from stories of the community under the broad themes of nature, the environment of the city and nation-building, participants told their stories on slabs of raw clay. The divergent inspirations were then hand-painted by the artist and assembled into a cohesive whole, reflective of the shared aspirations for the country of their originators. The artwork celebrates Singapore’s tapestry of life, rich in texture, diversity and colour, yet united in aspiration.

NS12: Canberra

Symbiosis
by Tan Zi Xi (MessyMsxi)

The artwork brings to light the symbiotic relationship between flora and fauna, which both provide for and feed from our precious earth. This is a reflection of the collaboration between the artist and the community of Canberra, through her re-interpretation of their imagination and sketches of the evolving flora and fauna they encountered while journeying together through Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. Beyond capturing the richness of plant and animal life, the mural manifests how living organisms grow and adapt constantly to the changing environmental landscape caused by man and pollution, like the ebb and flow of the tide.