Analogue Magazine

34
analogue
THREE
SIX
NINE
Exploring through the
streets of Singapore,
uncovering hidden treasures
The graffiti scene in Singapore has
always been small and as such, the
groups associated within have formed
a close-knit bond. Though there has
been several past cases of vandalism
on public transportations and public
structures, the scene remain vigilant and
proves to youths everywhere that you
don’t need to get yourself into trouble
just to earn respect. In that sense, I have
followed a few new-found friends who
are in the scene to show me around the
legal painting areas in Singapore. One of
which is located at a humble spot at 369
Tanjong Katong Road.
The delapidated building once
served as a dormitary for foreign workers
which has been vacated for quite
some time (hopefully to somewhere
more hospitable), and has since been
abandoned. The local graffiti writers
petitioned for the space to practice
their craft and were eventually given
permission to do so. However for anyone
not in-the-know of the scene, it will be
pretty hard for you to gain access to the
area as the gate has been locked and
the password only given to those within
the scene as a way to control who goes
in the building. Which makes sense; if
anyone were to be able to go in, it would
be an ideal space for illicit activities and
the walls might even be bombed with
territorial markers.
Anyway, since I was with people who
were in the loop, I was able to gain
access to the building. I brought an old
point and shoot camera which my dad
had passed down to me. The Richo AF77
is a bulky little camera but it gets the job
done. A couple of my new friends, JZ and
Bryan toured me around the different
building telling me who painted which
pieces and it was pretty amazing! The
different art styles, the colours used and
the whole urban aesthetic of the area just
resonated with the underground culture.
After touring me around for a
little bit, Jz and Bryan started on their
own pieces to embellish the walls of the
building. While they were doing their
thing, I was doing mine, getting shots
of the abandoned rooms and spaces
and other writer’s artworks. It is quite
rare to find old delapidated building in
Singapore as its a country that thrives
on change. Old gets replaced by new
and the culture disappears along with
it. Maybe these writers are fighting for
the preservation of the old building to
compliment their artstyle, as opposed to
finding a new pristine space to showcase
their works. And in a way, I get it, urban
decay envelopes the whole notion of
graffiti art and 369 Tanjong Katong is like
an embodiment of that principal.
Stepping into the building is like stepping
through a portal, viewing the space as
a distortion in an otherwise obedient
society. An ideal world of fantasy where
creativity has no limits, a blip in reality
where giant robots, exotic creatures and
splashes of typography exist in unison. It
feels ephemeral and yet the writings on
the wall seem to prove that the writers
will stay for a long time. With each
piece painted carefully with impressive
technique, the local graffiti writers are
really keeping their works humble.
Only if you understood the amount of
pressure needed and the angles used
for different spray effects, will you then
truly appreciate the amount of effort put
in these artists pieces.
WRITTEN &
SHOT BY
JARON NGOH