Katong is famous for its Peranakan Culture and foodie paradise.
Here, you would find old shophouses lining the streets of East Coast Road
and Joo Chiat with a spew of condominiums and the landed properties framing
them. A walk around the neighbourhood is both idyllic and therapeutic as it
is a neighbourhood that keeps its old-school charm alongside modern
amenities.
To add a little colour to your walk, look for street art or murals painted
on shophouses, landed properties and back alleys. The Street Art scene is
peppered all over Singapore, with a good selection at Katong. While it may
not be as prominent as the
street art of Georgetown, Penang, it does hold its own. The street arts Katong are commissioned mainly by
Katong Joo Chiat Art Circuitand some independent works. There is even a giant mural by the famed Ernest
Zaharevic, synonymous with Penang's street art, in Katong.
There are 3 main areas to explore in Katong for Street Art. We stroll the
streets of Joo Chiat, Tanjong Katong and East Coast Road to provide a
complete guide to street art in Katong.
JOO CHIAT ROAD
1 anatomical Reverberation; Recollections of you from a distance
Artist: Sop ) (2023)
Location: Wall of Shophouse on the side of Raffles Medical
471 Joo Chiat Rd Singapore 427680
Anatomical Reverberation, Recollection of you from a Distance
Sop O of Wayward Clouds created this vivid mural on the shophouse near the junction of East Coast Road and Joo Chiat Road. It is an ambitious painting that combines familiar forms and patterns that overlay each other. Some may see a horse, while others see mountains or flowers. You may be correct, given its intended purposes encapsulate the different experiences.
2 A History of Healing
Artist: Tell Your Children (2019)
Location: ScanTeak Building Wall facing carpark
341 Joo Chiat Rd Singapore 427593
A History of Healing
Head down the road towards East Coast Road and see a Scanteak
building. Go to the carpark next to it, and you will be greeted by a giant mural that spans the whole building.
The artwork is named A History of Healing. It is linked to what this building used to house. In the past, this was a
very distinct red building that housed the Joo Chiat Maternal and Child
Health Clinic, established in 1907. It was initially set up to deal with the
high mortality rate in Singapore during that period. After the wall, the
clinic shifted to cater to the nation's general public affected by the Japanese Occupation.
3 Jalan Jalan Artist: Didier 'Jabu ' Mathieu (2022) Location: Aston Specialities @ Joo Chiat Road 359 Joo Chiat Road S 427604
Cats Joo Chiat
Directly opposite 'A History of Healing' is a group of Cats mural known as Jalan Jalan.Jalan Jalan celebrated Katong heritage through colours inspired by Peranakan ceramics, with brightly coloured cats proudly wandering in this estate.
Jalan Jalan Aston Specialities
One could have easily mistaken it for CATS, the musical commercial, as the cats were painted in technicolour. If you look around Joo Chiat estate, it would be easy to spot a cat or two roaming the streets. Having a dedicated mural is apt in this location.
4 Ghost of Rumah Katong Artist Ink & Clog (2021) Location: Braseiro Resturant Wall 333 Joo Chiat Road S 427604
Ghost of Rumah Katong
Initially, we thought the Ferryman (name on the mural) was a new pub or
restaurant.
This relatively new mural is part of The Ferryman: Legends of Nanyang wall
murals commissioned by STB Precinct Tour. You can book the tour - the ghost
of Rumah Katong- and find out this mural's origins here.
5 The Phoenix
Boon 'Baked' (2022)
Location: 321 A Joo Chiat Road, Singapore 427572
The Phoenix is located on a minor road off Joo Chiat Road. It pays homage to the Phoenix, often used as an auspicious motif by the Peranakans. It represents the continuance of life in the flames of change.
This unidentified mural is not tagged. Located beside Capoeira & Yoga
Academy, it is most likely to be commissioned by them as they share a
similar mural in their studios.
We are still determining who the lady is. It could even be the owner of the studio.
If anyone has any clue, do share!
This is another new mural for 2023. There are no artists or painting descriptions, but it is tagged with a zero mark. It looks like a rice bowl filled with familiar items you can find in Joo Chiat, such as Sin Hoe Tien signboard and a Peranakan vase.
Start your Street Art journey at Kway Guan Huat Popiah. This stall has been
around since 1938, making Popiah and Kueh Pie Tee.
There are 2 murals by Jaxton Su on the right and left sides of the shop.
Kway Guan Huat
The left showed an elderly and a child making popiah the traditional way
with another child at the side, while the right showed a street hawker of
yesteryears.
Kway Guan Huat
9 Jousting Painters Artist Ernest Zacharevic (2013) Location: 85 Joo Chiat Terrace S427247 Junction of Everitt Road and Joo Chiat Terrace, opposite Joo Chiat
Terrace Park
Style Wars
This was done in 2013 by the well-known international street artist Ernest Zacharevic. He is famous for his works in street art in Penang, Malaysia, which is now
very much a part of the city's heritage.
Style Wars
This work was initiated by local residents. Interestingly, when he painted this, he got a ticket for inconsiderate boom-lift parking. The
artwork depicts 2 children on imaginary horses having a duel with a paint
roller and mop. Very cool.
10 High Tide Artist : Helen Le Chatelier & Christine Chia (2019) Location: 1 Koon Seng Road, alley next to the colourful Peranakan Houses
High Tide Koon Seng Road
Next, head to the famous colourful Peranakan houses along Koon Seng
Road.
Tucked away in an alley is a wall of art by Helen Le Chatelier with poems by Christine Chia.
High Tide
.
The artwork was named High Tide to reflect the flooding that once plagued this
area.
High Tide
As a bonus, you can take Instagram-worthy photos of colourful
Peranakan houses.
Tucked in an alley leading to Joo Chiat Complex, this wall mural
depicts life in the old Kampung. We could not find any tag to
identify the artist.
Kampung Mural
12 Home Grown Artist: Ink & Clog (202) Location: 1 Joo Chiat Rd, S 420001 Joo Chiat Complex, next to Joo Chiat Foodcourt
Home Grown
This is supposed to be inside a shophouse. The telltale sign would be
the window to the right of the painting. It's located next to Joo Chiat Food Court.
EAST COAST ROAD
13 Rumah Bebe Dancing Peranakan Ladies Artist : Unknown Location: 113 East Coast Road
Behind Rumah Bebe, access through a side road next to AlibabaR
Hawker Bar or alley along East Coast Road next to Kim Choo Kueh Chang.
Rumah Bebe
The next destination is along East Coast Road. Before you reach, turn
into the small road next to AlibabaR Hawker Bar, where you will
find a handful of Street Art behind the row of shophouses.
Rumah Bebe
The first that caught our eye was a mural featuring dancing
Peranakans. Unfortunately, there is no description of who the artist is, but it is an
interesting art paying homage to its roots.
Behind Rumah Kim Choo, access through a side road next to
AlibabaR Hawker Bar or an alley along East Coast Road next to Kim Choo
Kueh Chang.
Dumpling Girl
Fly up with Dumpling Ballons. This mural is located next to the Dancing
Peranakan and behind Kim Choo, famous for its dumplings. It features a lady in Peranakan Gear
floating in the air with Dumpling Ballons.
You could see the floating effect when viewed from a certain angle.
15 #MedleyAlley Artist :Nicia Lam, Valerie Neo, Novena Angela, Yullis
Lam(2019) Location: 111 East Coast Road
Beside Kim Choo Kueh Chang, access through the side road next to
AlibabaR Hawker Bar or an alley along East Coast Road next to Kim Choo
Kueh Chang.
Medley Alley East Coast Road
Just a few steps away, you will reach Medley Alley. It's a narrow
alley leading up to the main road - East Coast Road. Coated in bright
yellow, it has a pair of wings covered with mosaics.
Medley Alley East Coast Road
The wings are more apparent if the view is from East Coast Road. The
mural is created by a team of 4 comprising Nicia Lam, Valerie Neo,
Novena Angela, and Yullis Lam.
Medley Alley East Coast Road
While you are there, do pop into Rumah Bebe t check out the mini Peranakan Music. Then, have a bite of Kim Choo Kueh Chang before you continue your journey.
Rumah Bebe
16 Turtle Cape Artist: Ink & Clog (2019) Location: 152 East Coast Road S428855 Building next to Mount Pleasant Veterinary Center
Turtle Cove
Your next stop is a short walk away. Cross the other side of the road
and head towards Mount Pleasant Veterinary Center. Here you will see a
large Turtle swimming on a blue wall. It is a nod to neighbouring
Tanjong Katong, Malay, for Turtle Point. The name Katong was
also derived from a Javanese word for the leatherback turtle. Before
the land reclamation, this area was close to the sea. So it would not be
surprising to see turtles coming to the shores to lay their eggs
here.
The mural is titled Turtle Cape by The Ink and Clog Studio.
Turtle Cove
17 Children and Cat Artist: Alvin Mak Location: 208 East Coast Road, S428907 Katong Antique House
Children and Cat
Blink, and you may miss this realistic portrayal of a pair of children
playing and a cat on the other side. Of the door, This mural gives out
similar vibes to the ones in Georgetown, Penang, where playing children
are depicted in the murals.
The mural is by local artist Alvin Mak and is commissioned by Katong
Antique House.
You can check out the entire painting process in this video.
18 Katong Antique House
Artist: Alvin Mak
Location: 208 East Coast Road, S428907
Katong Antique House
Artist Alvin Mak has another Mural on the backside of Katong Antique House. This is only visible in the back alley.
There are 2 scenes in this mural. One depicts a dumpling seller, and the other a clog maker. A cat, a common sight in Katong, is painted on the mural too.
19 Chin Mee Chin Logo
Artist : Unknown (2021)
Location: 204 East Coast Road, S428903
The side wall of Chin Mee Chin
This is the Chin Mee Chin Logo. While it may not be your usual street art, it is still iconic enough to warrant an Instagram photo.
20 Ikan Kurau Artist: Unknown 2021 Location: 213 East Coast Road 7-Eleven
Ikan Kurau
The Ikan Kurau or Indian threadfin is common in local
Chinese, Malay, Indian and Eurasian cuisines. This mural, together
with the Katong turtle mural, is a reminder of the state of the oceans
today.
21 Justified Artist: Unkown Location: 25 Still Road St Patrick's Road, near Odyssey Preschool
Justified Mural
Further down East Coast Road towards Siglap, head towards Still Road. You would come across this mural near the junction of Still Road and St Patrick's Road. This is not listed on the KJC Art scene and is
a private artwork done up by the house owner.
There is a Chinese term that stands for Justified.
TANJONG KATONG ROAD
22 Animals for Life Artist: Oak & Bindi ( 2020) Location: 330 Tanjong Katong Road, S
437106 Vets for Life Branksome Road
Animals are a favourite theme along Tanjong Katong Road. However, this animal
mural is posited just next to a vet clinic; how cliche!
23 Sunbird
Artist: Kiat
Location: 190 Tanjong Katong Road, S
436992
Wareham Road, Teo Hin Tyres,
This sunbird sits on the wall on the side of the tyre shop. The floral display
in front adds some depth to this mural.
24 HummingBird Artist: Kiat Location: 188L Tanjong Katong Road S 437156 Danji Korea BBQ Buffet
Located a street away is the hummingbird by the same artist. Unfortunately, he had mistaken the sunbird for the hummingbird during the painting process. In
the end, he decided to paint both separately. Unfortunately, this mural is
now partially blocked.
25 The Good Garden Artist: Miyuki Soh (2019) Location: 90 Goodman Road S 439053 Goodman Art Center
Goodman Arts Centre is how to National Arts Council and has a few
murals on the centre grounds. The Good Garden is one of them.
26 Unkowm Artist: Danielle Tay (2020) Location: 90 Goodman Road Goodman Art Center
There is another mural on the opposite of 'The Good Garden.'
27 Jalan Tembusu GLS Site Artist: Unknown Location: Jalan Tembusu
This used to be the old Tanjong Katong technical school before it
moved and became a hostel. The plot has been taken over by the
government and will be sold for condominium development.
You could still catch a glimpse of the street art on the buildings outside the gate. Note that this is now private property, and trespassing is
not allowed.
These street art are located at Katong. Technically, you could cover all
of them within a day, but it will be a long walk between each other. We suggest covering the Joo Chiat / East Coast area in a day and saving the Tanjong
Katong route for another if you are on a walking tour. All the sites seen are
from my jogging sessions around Katong, and I probably took 4 different routes
to capture them.
At the end of your visit, you can pop into the eateries of East Coast Road for
a well-deserved meal. If you need help locating a spot, head to our
#hungrygoanywhere session to check out some of our reviews of restaurants in
the vicinity.
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