From Construction Site to Canvas: Hall of Fame Offers A Sprawling Street Art Experience in Kampong Gelam, Singapore

PUBLISHED April 28th, 2021 11:30 am | UPDATED June 9th, 2021 02:38 pm

In a country where the national bird is the crane (we’re kidding – it’s the crimson sunbird), construction works – in all their drilling, thudding, barrier-ringed glory – are just a drab part and parcel of Singapore’s landscape. Over in the buzzy enclave of Kampong Gelam, though, one construction site has become an unexpected canvas for greater things. Say hello to Singapore’s very own Hall of Fame, a street art experience offers a sprawling 230 metres of mural feasting for the eyes.

In the graffiti world, a Hall of Fame is a space legally dedicated to street art – vibrant hubs where artists new and renowned can hone their craft. New York has one, harking back to graffiti’s heyday in the 1980s; Sydney has one, doubling up as a spectacular spot for techno raves in the ’90s; and now, Southeast Asia’s first official graffiti Hall of Fame can call Singapore home.

Launched on 28 April by precinct association One Kampong Gelam and the Singapore Tourism Board, Hall of Fame Kampong Gelam unfolds on five-metre-tall metal walls along Bali Lane and Ophir Road. These metal canvases were erected there as noise barriers for ongoing construction on the North-South Corridor. Now, they also serve as a grand-scale stage for colourful works by 17 Singapore-based artists, which are slated to remain till construction is completed – at least a couple of years down the road.

With the Hall of Fame set to join Kampong Gelam’s already sizeable trove of paint-splashed corners, going on a street art stroll never sounded so good. Each mural comes with a handy QR code, allowing you to check out artwork descriptions and artist info through the Hall of Fame microsite. To kick off your mural hop, here’s a sneak peek of what you’ll find.

Bali Lane: Pendekars and Pearl Divers

Ever wondered how another passer-by might perceive you? Over on Bali Lane, Has.J holds up a cheeky mirror to pedestrians on the street with his abstract, dynamic mural, highlighting how each of us has our own unique ways of walking the line. Meanwhile, AshD and NOEZ23 turn the spotlight on graffiti artists themselves by reimagining them as modern-day pendekars (martial arts masters), complete with eye-catching spray-cans. 

Full-time tattoo artist Sei10 sprays an environmentally-charged reflection of our present-day world with his piece Tamotori Hime (The Pearl Diver), weaving together Japanese folklore and batik motifs drawn from Kampong Gelam’s heritage. Taking this spirit of cultural crossings further is Under The Same Sun, a collaborative work between popular Indonesian muralist Stereoflow and Singaporean artist ZERO. Fitting together like two puzzle pieces, Stereoflow’s remix at M Bloc Space in Jakarta and ZERO’s half of the mural on Bali Lane transcend borders, achieving through art what travel cannot right now.

Ophir Road: ‘Homing’ Pigeons and Time Portals

Running parallel to Bali Lane, Ophir Road is lined with graffiti gems along a 107-metre stretch too. Take a stroll down a charming dreamscape of Kampong Gelam, prowling with curious street cats, with Constant Elevation – a collaborative piece by pioneering local artists ANTZ and Hegira alongside Colombian-born icon Didier ‘Jaba’ Mathieu. Then, keep going down memory lane with The Journey, a mashup of Kampong Gelam’s past and present inspired by the personal memories of five artists.

If you spot some unusual, larger-than-life pigeons on the street, those might just be Dem‘s creations – his work conceives artists as wondrously winged pigeons, taking flight with houses on their backs. Artist duo Studio Moonchild delve into the resonance between the traditional and the contemporary with their depiction of a child of many cultures, while KILAS and Boon Baked draws us back in time with a tall tale of Kampong Gelam’s fictional past.  

Alongside the Hall of Fame, you can expect a slew of urban adventures to be rolled out in the coming months – think spray-painting workshops and walking tours round the ‘hood. If you’re keen on sinking your teeth into street art knowledge, tune into the Hall of Fame’s microsite for their three-episode mini-series Street Art in Kampong Gelam. Debuting on 19 May, the first episode will dive into topics like the evolution of Singapore’s urban art scene and the role of public art in society.

Hall of Fame Kampong Gelam launches from 28 April 2021 along Bali Lane and Ophir Road, Singapore.