Art Guide
Artsy places you have to visit in Singapore
Singapore has quite the quirky and artistic side to her. Discover where are the artsy places you can visit here.
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ShareBy Rachael Quek
While we all know that Singapore has quite a number of museums for us to visit (free for Singaporeans especially!), what you might not know is that, museums are not the only to-go place to feed your artsy desires and inspirations.
There are actually many other places in Singapore that boosts and promotes art. From Orchard to Bugis, and even Marina Bay, these places are all around us, mostly in the city centre, but commonly covert from our typical eyes, as they are less well-known among the public.
Image credits:DECK
The DECK is a space that focuses on photography, as they aim to support and nurture photographers in the Southeast Asia region. Established in 2014, the DECK has since became a go-to venue for many events including workshops, tours and exhibitions for those interested in photography.
Image credits: DECK
Rustic-looking from the outside, the DECK is made up of shipping containers converted to a gallery, a library, an activity space, artist’s studios and a café – providing an all-in-one space for artists and viewers alike to pass their day immersing in the inspirational containers.
The DECK serves as a venue for young artists to exhibit their works to the public, through the NOISE Apprenticeship Programme. For emerging artists, there are also many galleries that offers similar programmes. If you are looking, our gallery offers artist-in-residency positions! To find out more details, you can drop us an email at info@odetoart.com or drop by our gallery at Raffles City for a visit.
DECK
120A Prinsep Street
Singapore 187937
+65 6734 6578
Opening hours:
Tues - Sat: 12pm - 7pm
Sun: 12pm - 5pm
Closed on Mondays and Public Holidays
Image credits: The Occasional Traveller
Ditch the idea of viewing art in an enclosed space. Walk along Victoria Street (between Jalan Klapa and Jalan Pisang) and you will be amazed by the large-scale street art done by Lithuanian artist Ernest Zacharevic. Based in Penang, his works in Georgetown are widely-seen and popular among tourists.
Image credits: The Occasional Traveller
One of our favourite works is Kids in Trolleys, where he managed to fuse a real supermarket trolley into his painting. Admittedly, this approach adds great depth to the art and allows him to achieve a realistic finish. Doesn’t this work connect with you and remind you of your childhood? As a kid, most of us often bug our parents to have us seated in the supermarket trolleys, pushing us around while they run their groceries errands.
Walk over to Aliwal Street and you can find walls of graffiti art - something a little different from the other forms of art commonly seen and talked about in Singapore.
Image credits: The Occasional Traveller
Be sure to look out for this gigantic colourful wall done by Singaporean visual artist Zul Othman (also known as ZERO). At the same street, you can also spot Italian artist Alice Pasquini’s graffiti art of two girls - one cupping her ears while another appears to be shouting through it.
Walk along the streets from Orchard MRT Station to Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station, and check out these sculptures we are about to mention!
Image credits: YourSingapore
Apart from Kurt Laurenz Metzler’s “Urban People” Aluminium sculptures prominently seen outside Ion Orchard (where many tourists love posing with), walking down the streets further will grant you the sight of two identical stone lion sculptures at the entrance of Ngee Ann City (pictured below).
Image credits: Justgola
Across the street, at the entrance of Paragon, you will be able to find six sculptures by China-born artist, Sun Yu Li, whose works can also be found standing in many other parts of Singapore. These sculptures can be easily identifiable by their wobbly human-like shapes that are never alone.
As you walk further down the stretch of road in the direction of Dhoby Ghaut, keep a lookout when you are at Winsland House on Penang Road for sculptures by famed artist Robert Indiana (expect his iconic LOVE sculpture!) as well as Sun Yu Li.
The town area is filled with various sculptures, so don’t forget to look out for them as you are walking down the streets, looking for your favourite store! We suggest spending an afternoon in town searching for all these amazing art pieces - just like a little game of treasure hunt! You will be amazed to find that there are actually more installations than you would have expected.
Feel free to capture photos of them, but don’t forget to tag us in your photos when you upload them onto your social media accounts!
Art is not only confined to paintings and sculptures. Its wider sense encompasses architecture, music, literature, dance, as well as other possibilities and forms of creative expressions.
Built in 2010, Marina Bay Sands has since became an iconic feature of the Singapore skyline, as its exterior was a great architectural achievement.
Image credits: Gardens by the Bay
Take a stroll along Gardens by the Bay in the night, and you will be rewarded with beautiful, eye-catching installations of lighted tree-like structures at the SuperTree Grove.
Image credits: Marc Quinn
At the Gardens, you will also find 40 sculptures from all over the world. Be sure to look out for ‘Planet’ by Marc Quinn, the famous sculpture of a gigantic baby, whose unique point is that it appears to be floating on air.
The MasterCard Theatre in Marina Bay Sands holds two theatres - the Sands Theatre and the Grand Theatre, granting them a lot to offer in the performing arts aspect. From broadway musicals to concerts and drama productions, the difficulty lies in deciding on a show among the variety of others.
Marina Bay Sands is the artsy place to visit, where you will find amazing architectures, structures, sculptures and performing arts, all in one place!
Located at the heart of Singapore, easily accessible to public, Ode To Art gallery represents an international spectrum of artists, from western artists like Fernando Botero and Mauro Perucchetti to Asian artists such as Qin Feng and Chen Wenling, and even local Singaporean artists Lim Tze Peng and Hong Zhu An. Apart from notable names in the art scene, Ode To Art also represents a variety of young, emerging artists and is actively involved in the development of contemporary art.
Art works in the gallery are switched up every now and then, allowing a diversified experience for their visitors. For first-time buyers or collectors, their art consultancy services will provide you with insights into the contemporary art market, regular art talks and exhibitions to broaden your art knowledge and horizons, as well as cognizant advices for your purchases.
For the contemporary art lovers, this is your best bet!
There are actually many other places in Singapore that boosts and promotes art. From Orchard to Bugis, and even Marina Bay, these places are all around us, mostly in the city centre, but commonly covert from our typical eyes, as they are less well-known among the public.
DECK
Image credits:DECK
The DECK is a space that focuses on photography, as they aim to support and nurture photographers in the Southeast Asia region. Established in 2014, the DECK has since became a go-to venue for many events including workshops, tours and exhibitions for those interested in photography.
Image credits: DECK
Rustic-looking from the outside, the DECK is made up of shipping containers converted to a gallery, a library, an activity space, artist’s studios and a café – providing an all-in-one space for artists and viewers alike to pass their day immersing in the inspirational containers.
The DECK serves as a venue for young artists to exhibit their works to the public, through the NOISE Apprenticeship Programme. For emerging artists, there are also many galleries that offers similar programmes. If you are looking, our gallery offers artist-in-residency positions! To find out more details, you can drop us an email at info@odetoart.com or drop by our gallery at Raffles City for a visit.
DECK
120A Prinsep Street
Singapore 187937
+65 6734 6578
Opening hours:
Tues - Sat: 12pm - 7pm
Sun: 12pm - 5pm
Closed on Mondays and Public Holidays
BUGIS
Image credits: The Occasional Traveller
Ditch the idea of viewing art in an enclosed space. Walk along Victoria Street (between Jalan Klapa and Jalan Pisang) and you will be amazed by the large-scale street art done by Lithuanian artist Ernest Zacharevic. Based in Penang, his works in Georgetown are widely-seen and popular among tourists.
Image credits: The Occasional Traveller
One of our favourite works is Kids in Trolleys, where he managed to fuse a real supermarket trolley into his painting. Admittedly, this approach adds great depth to the art and allows him to achieve a realistic finish. Doesn’t this work connect with you and remind you of your childhood? As a kid, most of us often bug our parents to have us seated in the supermarket trolleys, pushing us around while they run their groceries errands.
Walk over to Aliwal Street and you can find walls of graffiti art - something a little different from the other forms of art commonly seen and talked about in Singapore.
Image credits: The Occasional Traveller
Be sure to look out for this gigantic colourful wall done by Singaporean visual artist Zul Othman (also known as ZERO). At the same street, you can also spot Italian artist Alice Pasquini’s graffiti art of two girls - one cupping her ears while another appears to be shouting through it.
ORCHARD ROAD
Yes, your eyes are not playing tricks on you. We are talking about the famous shopping street, Orchard Road. While many of us might often be seen on that street, only a handful will actually notice the art installations present.Walk along the streets from Orchard MRT Station to Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station, and check out these sculptures we are about to mention!
Image credits: YourSingapore
Apart from Kurt Laurenz Metzler’s “Urban People” Aluminium sculptures prominently seen outside Ion Orchard (where many tourists love posing with), walking down the streets further will grant you the sight of two identical stone lion sculptures at the entrance of Ngee Ann City (pictured below).
Image credits: Justgola
Across the street, at the entrance of Paragon, you will be able to find six sculptures by China-born artist, Sun Yu Li, whose works can also be found standing in many other parts of Singapore. These sculptures can be easily identifiable by their wobbly human-like shapes that are never alone.
As you walk further down the stretch of road in the direction of Dhoby Ghaut, keep a lookout when you are at Winsland House on Penang Road for sculptures by famed artist Robert Indiana (expect his iconic LOVE sculpture!) as well as Sun Yu Li.
The town area is filled with various sculptures, so don’t forget to look out for them as you are walking down the streets, looking for your favourite store! We suggest spending an afternoon in town searching for all these amazing art pieces - just like a little game of treasure hunt! You will be amazed to find that there are actually more installations than you would have expected.
Feel free to capture photos of them, but don’t forget to tag us in your photos when you upload them onto your social media accounts!
MARINA BAY SANDS
Built in 2010, Marina Bay Sands has since became an iconic feature of the Singapore skyline, as its exterior was a great architectural achievement.
Image credits: Gardens by the Bay
Take a stroll along Gardens by the Bay in the night, and you will be rewarded with beautiful, eye-catching installations of lighted tree-like structures at the SuperTree Grove.
Image credits: Marc Quinn
At the Gardens, you will also find 40 sculptures from all over the world. Be sure to look out for ‘Planet’ by Marc Quinn, the famous sculpture of a gigantic baby, whose unique point is that it appears to be floating on air.
The MasterCard Theatre in Marina Bay Sands holds two theatres - the Sands Theatre and the Grand Theatre, granting them a lot to offer in the performing arts aspect. From broadway musicals to concerts and drama productions, the difficulty lies in deciding on a show among the variety of others.
Marina Bay Sands is the artsy place to visit, where you will find amazing architectures, structures, sculptures and performing arts, all in one place!
ODE TO ART
Lastly, what would be the perfect place for you to catch up with the latest contemporary artworks in the art world?
Located at the heart of Singapore, easily accessible to public, Ode To Art gallery represents an international spectrum of artists, from western artists like Fernando Botero and Mauro Perucchetti to Asian artists such as Qin Feng and Chen Wenling, and even local Singaporean artists Lim Tze Peng and Hong Zhu An. Apart from notable names in the art scene, Ode To Art also represents a variety of young, emerging artists and is actively involved in the development of contemporary art.
Art works in the gallery are switched up every now and then, allowing a diversified experience for their visitors. For first-time buyers or collectors, their art consultancy services will provide you with insights into the contemporary art market, regular art talks and exhibitions to broaden your art knowledge and horizons, as well as cognizant advices for your purchases.
For the contemporary art lovers, this is your best bet!