URA Unveils Wall Murals At Bras Basah.Bugis - Enlivening The Area With A Distinct Arts Identity

LASALLE-SIA mural

Untitled, 2004

Designed by Georgiana Phua and Lin Bao Ling

The mural emotes an energetic rhythm identical to the pace of the activities in Bras Basah.Bugis. As one of Singapore’s most vibrant cultural areas - complementing a budding arts hub with thriving religious traditions - this mural combines abstractions of the rich cultural heritage, filled with colours inspired by the architecture in the area.

1. The Bras Basah.Bugis area is enlivened with a visible and distinct arts identity, with the unveiling of three wall murals along Waterloo Street. The murals were unveiled by Mr Loh Meng See, Member of Parliament for Jalan Besar GRC and Advisor to Kampong Glam Grassroots Organisations.
   
   
   Community Art Project
   
    
2. The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has positioned the Bras Basah.Bugis district as an Arts, Culture, Learning and Entertainment hub. To further enhance the arts identity of the area, URA roped in two key stakeholders of the area, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) and LASALLE-SIA College of the Arts (LASALLE-SIA) to participate in a wall mural project.
   
    
3. Two of the wall murals, painted by URA and LASALLE-SIA, are located at the boundary wall of Stamford Arts Centre. The third mural, painted by NAFA, is located at the boundary wall of SCWO Centre (Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations). These murals have further enhanced the character of Bras Basah.Bugis, making it a unique and creative arts district.
   
    
4. Mr Loh Meng See, MP for Jalan Besar GRC and Advisor to Kampong Glam Grassroots Organisations said ‘It is very encouraging to see staff of URA working together with the students of NAFA and LaSalle in reaching out to the community by painting these murals, on top of their curricular.  They add another dimension to the already vibrant community.  We welcome the art schools to this area.’
   
    
5. Mrs Cheong Koon Hean, Chief Executive Officer of URA said, ‘Through the Community Art Project, we aim to engage the art community at Bras Basah.Bugis by letting them have a say in beautifying their built environment. In this way, we collectively involve the community in realising the vision of Bras Basah.Bugis as an Arts, Culture, Learning and Entertainment district.’
   
    
6. The mural created by URA captures the distinctive blend of old and new buildings in Bras Basah.Bugis, depicted as a rich collage of architectural details. The energetic rhythm and the rich cultural heritage of Bras Basah.Bugis is reflected in the mural created by LASALLE-SIA. The NAFA mural at the boundary wall of the SCWO Centre, is an abstract manifestation of the life’s journey, representing the challenges faced by women in society.
   
    
7.  Please refer to Annex 1 for the location map of the three murals and Annex 2 for the visuals of the murals.
   
    
8. In addition to the stakeholders in the area, the business community has also been engaged in the Community Art Project. The success of the project is made possible by the sponsorship from ICI-Dulux, who has kindly sponsored the plaques, paint and brushes for the painting of the three murals.
   
   
   Walking map of Bras Basah.Bugis launched
   
    
9. URA has produced a walking map of  Bras Basah.Bugis, to guide Singaporeans and tourists to the many interesting highlights of the area. The map illustrates the facts, history and buildings within the district, extending to Fort Canning Hill and Selegie. Copies of the walking map are available at the URA Gallery at The URA Centre, The Singapore Art Museum, The Asian Civilisation Museum, SCDF Heritage Gallery at Central Fire Station, hotels in the Bras Basah.Bugis area (eg. Intercontinental, Raffles, Carlton, Allson and Rendezvous Hotels) and Parco Bugis Junction from 10 November 2004.
   
   
   Bras Basah.Bugis -  Arts, Culture, Learning and Entertainment Hub
   
    
10. Bras Basah.Bugis today is a unique complementary blend of the new and the old, an area rich in architectural and cultural heritage. The district heralds an exciting future with new city campuses alongside existing arts housing.  It is the focal point for arts activities, as well as home to art colleges such as the NAFA and LASALLE-SIA and city campuses such as the Singapore Management University. With the opening of these institutions by 2006, there will be an influx of about 16,000 artists and students, realising the envisioned future as Singapore’s hub for arts, culture, learning and entertainment.
    
    
    The Waterloo Street Arts Belt
    
     
11. Today, Waterloo Street is a focal point for arts activities, with various arts groups located there. Numerous arts groups including ACTION Theatre, the Chinese Calligraphy Society of Singapore, Dance Ensemble Singapore, Young Musicians’ Society and Sculpture Square are clustered along Waterloo Street.
    
     
12. Waterloo Street has been developed as a vibrant arts belt through strategic planning and close collaboration between the URA and the National Arts Council (NAC). URA, in consultation with NAC, has identified suitable state-owned buildings to be adapted for use as arts housing. This has provided the platform and opportunity for the budding arts talents to test and showcase their works, which is fundamental for the growth of a thriving arts scene in Singapore.