LTA | National Arts Council and Land Transport Authority Partner to Unveil ‘A Living Museum For Bukit Gombak’ at The Under Viaduct Space, Celebrating SG60 With Art at Unconventional Spaces During Singapore Art Week 2025

National Arts Council and Land Transport Authority Partner to Unveil ‘A Living Museum For Bukit Gombak’ at The Under Viaduct Space, Celebrating SG60 With Art at Unconventional Spaces During Singapore Art Week 2025

News Releases 17 Jan 2025 under viaduct space

img.1 — (From Left to Right) Mr Richard Lim, Hillview Community Club Management Committee Vice Chairman; Mr Sam Lay, Director, Strategic Partnerships & Engagement, National Arts Council (NAC); Ms Lynette Pang, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, NAC; Ms Quek Jia Qi, Artist of ‘A Living Museum for Bukit Gombak’; Ms Low Yen Ling, Senior Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) & Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI); Mr Alvin Kek Yoke Boon, Group Chief Commuter Engagement & Service Excellence/Senior Vice President, Rail Operations, SMRT Trains; Dr Chuai Chip Tiong, Group Director, QSMO, Community & Customer Engagement, LTA; Ms Elynn Han, Director, Community Partnership (South), LTA; Mr Harold Yeo, Head of Community Partnerships, SportSG. Image credit: Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth

Singapore, 17 January 2025 – As part of Singapore Art Week (SAW) 2025, the National Arts Council (NAC) and Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced the launch of art under viaduct spaces, a new project born from a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in January 2024. This inaugural project by NAC and LTA, supported by SMRT and the People’s Association (PA), reimagines public transport spaces as canvases for the arts, invites the public to encounter art in familiar yet unconventional spaces, and transforms daily commutes into enriching cultural experiences. Senior Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth, Ms Low Yen Ling, alongside artist Quek Jia Qi, unveiled the artworks for ‘A Living Museum for Bukit Gombak’ at the Bukit Gombak Sports Hall.

2 ‘A Living Museum for Bukit Gombak’ is an interactive, community-driven art installation that transforms the viaduct pillars at Bukit Gombak into an evolving representation of the neighbourhood’s rich history, natural beauty and community spirit. It is part of NAC’s Public Art Trust (PAT) initiative, which aims to bring art into everyday spaces where Singaporeans live, work and play, and LTA’s Art in Transit programme, which aims to bring artworks closer to commuters while transforming transport nodes into lively places.

· Playing on the meaning of “Gombak” (collection) and the transformation of Bukit Gombak’s hilly terrain, the installation reimagines the space of viaduct pillars through contemporary art wraps, with each pillar showcasing different aspects of the precinct’s identity.

· Artist Quek Jia Qi has created five large-scale artworks that feature images of local artefacts contributed by residents. These artefacts reflect the local history and unique characteristics of Bukit Gombak, including several displayed at the Hillview Heritage Gallery within the Hillview Community Club precinct. The artworks encourage residents to reflect on their shared identity and collective solidarity through the collaborative nature of the installation.

· Residents and the public can view the artworks on Instagram @alivingmuseumforbukitgombak and are invited to contribute their own images of artefacts representing Bukit Gombak at https://go.gov.sg/alivingmuseumforbukitgombak

(From left to right) Ms Low Yen Ling, Senior Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) & Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI); artist Quek Jia Qi; Ms Lynette Pang, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, National Arts Council (NAC); Ms Elynn Han, Director, Community Partnership (South), Land Transport Authority (LTA); Mr Sam Lay, Director, Strategic Partnerships & Engagement, NAC. They explore Bukit Gombak’s unique characteristics through interactions with viaduct pillars dressed in contemporary art wraps that feature images of artefacts contributed by residents of the precinct. Image credit: National Arts Council

3 This project exemplifies ongoing efforts, especially in celebration of SG60, to enliven public spaces and foster a vibrant and creative city through the arts. By turning Singapore into a canvas for artistic expression, NAC and LTA aim to nurture a more engaged and culturally confident society, enhancing urban experiences for all residents and visitors.

This project is part of continued placemaking efforts to enliven everyday spaces and build a creative city that inspires by integrating arts into public transport nodes. Through this partnership, LTA and NAC seek to weave the arts into the fabric of daily life, cultivating a Singapore that is more engaged with the arts. Image credit: National Arts Council

A Living Museum for Bukit Gombak, which all can interact with during their daily commuter journeys. Embedded QR codes on the artwork lead to a digital archival site where A Living Museum for Bukit Gombak can be further explored while on-the-go. Image credit: Quek Jia Qi

^{Resident Aaron Lim shares, “The L-plate brings back memories of nervous laughter and early morning lessons at Bukit Batok Driving Centre. The L-plate represents more than just learning to drive. It is a rite of passage shared by many residents in Bukit Gombak and beyond, each with their own story on these familiar training circuits.” Image credit: Aaron Lim}

4 Following last year’s successful rollout of a SAW-themed train and art murals at seven MRT stations, this year’s themed train and murals will once again spotlight nearby SAW programmes during the ten-day season this month across eight stations island wide. Unveiled as part of Singapore Art Week (SAW) 2025, this is the second collaboration between NAC and LTA to invigorate public transport spaces with art.

(From left to right) Cheng Jin An, Elisa Liu, Aravindan B This year’s themed train on the North East Line features Wishes in the Wind: Tapestries for the future, led by Elisa Liu and Cheng Jin An with graphic designer Aravindan B, in collaboration with Tampines North Community Arts and Culture Club (CACC). Image credit: Land Transport Authority

5 Additionally, from 14 January to 16 February 2025, a new public artwork by artist Boedi Widjaja will also be installed near Exit 10 of Orchard Station (Thomson-East Coast Line), blending particle physics, photography, poetry, and sound art to create an immersive experience for commuters.