|
| I started at Koon Seng Road, a lovely heritage street. |
The fact that there were some new murals was an extra incentive for me. Especially since they were done by Lithuanian/Penang artist Ernest Zacharevic, who’s murals (in Georgetown) I simply adore!
It was a delight to stroll through the streets of Joo Chiatt again with their charming Peranakan architecture in sometimes sweet, sometimes bold colors.
|
| Commercial street. |
|
| Residential street. |
|
| How charming is this architecture? |
|
| Typical characteristics are: the front porch, the framed air vents left and right, the rows of Peranakan tiles…. |
|
| ..the small 3D fresco’s are typical as well… |
|
| …as is the wooden latticework under the roof and the shutters at the windows. |
Some of the streets and shophouses are residential oriented, some are commercial, others are mixed.
|
| This house and it’s neighbors in the following pictures have a slightly different style. |
The area is popular with both locals and expats, which reveals itself in the mix of shops, bars and restaurants. From very basic and local, to trendy or western, you will find it all here.
|
| Budget hotel. |
|
| Local restaurant. |
|
| Lots of small street altars show that traditions are still very much alive here. |
|
| This man ‘airing’ his birds is also executing an old tradition. |
The number of cupcake shops is amazing; no idea how they all survive, next to one another.
There are still traditional small businesses present in Joo Chiatt, like this one that makes paper funeral products.
|
| They use very thin sliced bamboo sticks, glue, tape and paper to create every imaginable object. |
|
| Whatever the family wants to give the deceased in the hereafter is build and finally burned. Like this house. |
|
| As you see it is a huge house, with servants. I don’t know if the car and trishaw on the road belong to it or if they just portray the scenery around this large mansion. |
|
| But for sure they will have a car in the hereafter; this one. |
I also came across this industrial business. A welder maybe?
There are bars, also so-called ‘girl-bars’.
And then there are the murals that I came for.
As I explained before, Singapore is not a city for unauthorized painting on walls, oh no! So the best way to go is to get permission. Or to evade that by painting on private properties, like a private house (as is the case here) or on and in hotels, as is happening a lot at the moment. Very cool!
|
| LOVE!!!!! |
|
| As I said before I am not really wild about his minions, but they are small fun bonuses. |
I read an interview with a Singaporean artist the other day, in which he stated that his hope was for more murals on HDB flats. I fully agree. These buildings (Singapore is full with them), have huge blind walls, that would provide the perfect canvas for art. I don’t expect it to happen any time soon, but one can always hope, right???!!
What do you think of this architecture? Do you like the large mural?
Leuke foto’s, daar moet ik ook weer eens wat meer werk van maken.
Super leuk die minions! In Duxton Road is er ook een grappige mural, maar wel niet zo kleurrijk.
Duxton Road? Not sure if I know that one. Will have to check it out;-). Thanks for the tip, Doris.
I think I have been to this area. Though I don’t remember its name but I do remember the houses. They are so charming and pretty and unique. Didn’t know about this tradition of funeral paper things, it is curious.
It’s really fascinating, Olga, I dived into it a bit deeper, some years ago, and I saw it ‘in action’ at a funeral, which was impressive.
The mural with the kids is so cool!
Bisous
Suzanne
I love it, Suzanne!
The mural is perfect. This artist should be able to sell his art (needs a portable canvas then haha).
And I agree the minions are such fun!! These things do brighten up the streets. So much nicer than the graffiti we have to endure. The houses are beautiful.
The artist is nowadays able to work on commission and there is quite some merchandising of his Penang murals. Hopefully he gets a cut from that.
Amsterdam has nice street art as well. Ugly tagging or tagging on buildings that are beautiful from themselves should be forbidden. Beautifying blind walls, ugly walls or abandoned buildings is cool though.