(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.
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.
'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
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
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.
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(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
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.
Path. 15, Cosmic Strangers is an art-science project by local artist Boedi Widjaja, featuring poetry by Tse Hao Guang, sound by Jonathan Yip of Paper Divers and production by Audrey Koh.
Image Credit: Land Transport Authority
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Issued by: National Arts Council and Land Transport Authority
- High resolution images may be found in this Digital Media Kit: https://bit.ly/AUVS
- Annex A - Artist and Artworks for Art Under Viaduct Spaces (Bukit Gombak)
- Annex B - SAW 2025 Themed Trains and Stations & Open Call Project
For media enquiries, kindly contact:
Hayley Teo | Goh Tze Yi |
About National Arts Council
The National Arts Council (NAC) is a statutory board under the Ministry of Culture, Community, and Youth that champions the arts in Singapore. The Council promotes artistic excellence by providing diverse opportunities for artists and arts organisations while expanding access for audiences to appreciate the impact of the arts in enriching lives. By working closely with the arts community and partners, the Council seeks to build a connected society, creative economy and distinctive city through the arts. For more information, visit www.nac.gov.sg.
About Land Transport Authority
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is a statutory board under the Ministry of Transport, which spearheads land transport developments in Singapore. As the agency responsible for planning, designing, building and maintaining Singapore’s land transport infrastructure and systems, we aim to bring about a greener and more inclusive public transport system, complemented by convenient options to walk and cycle from their homes or to their destinations. We leverage technology to strengthen our rail and bus infrastructure and provide exciting options for future land transport. For more information, please visit the website at www.lta.gov.sg.
About Public Art Trust
The Public Art Trust (PAT) is an initiative by the National Arts Council (NAC) established in 2014 with $10 million seed funding from the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY).
PAT aims to bring art into spaces where we live, work and play to make art a part of our urban spaces and bring art closer to Singaporeans. To drive education and develop best practices in public art in Singapore, PAT prioritises opportunities for Singapore artists and provide platforms for collaboration with international peers.
About Art in Transit
Established in 1997 with the North East Line by the Land Transport Authority (LTA), the Art in Transit programme is Singapore’s largest public art showcase, and provides an opportunity for artists to transform land transport spaces – such as our MRT stations – into captivating public art showcases, and bring about a vibrant and captivating experience for commuters on their daily journeys.
About Singapore Art Week
As Singapore’s pinnacle visual arts season, Singapore Art Week (SAW) represents the vibrant and diverse visual arts ecosystem. The ten-day event will see more than 100 events by the local and international visual arts community. Audiences can look forward to a dynamic line-up of programmes and arts experiences at our museums, galleries, independent art spaces and public spaces, and participate in enriching discussions, talks, walks and tours across the island and online. SAW, a celebration of Singapore’s visual arts landscape, is an annual event organised by the National Arts Council (NAC)