Katong is home to Perankan culture, good food, quirky shops and Street Art!
A walk around this idyllic neighbourhood will find old shophouses flanking
the streets of East Coast and Joo Chiat Road.
To add flavour to your visit to this Katong district, look for street
art or murals painted on shophouses, landed properties and back alleys.
While it may not be as well-known as the street art of Georgetown, Penang, it does hold its own. The street arts in Katong are commissioned mainly
by the Katong Joo Chiat Art Circuitand some independent works. Sadly, the famous artwork by Ernest Zachervic
has disappeared, but new murals are popping up along Joo Chiat Road.
These are the main street art locations on Joo Chiat Road and East Coast
Road.
JOO CHIAT ROAD
1 Anatomical Reverberation; Recollections of you from a
distance
Artist: Sop O (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 combining familiar forms and patterns overlaying each other.
Some may see a horse, while others see mountains or flowers. You may be
correct, given that its intended purposes encapsulate the different
experiences.
2 Katong Joo Chiat Mingle Artist: Unknown Location: Joo Chiat Community CC 405 Joo Chiat Road S 427633
This mural is meant to depict the multicultural and vibrant Katong - Joo Chiat Community.
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 the 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 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.
5 Ghost of Rumah Katong Artist: Ink & Clog (2021) Location: Braseiro Restaurant 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.
6 The Phoenix
Artist: 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, a motif often used by the Peranakans as an auspicious symbol. It
represents the continuance of life in the flames of change.
7 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.
8 Dog Artist - Unknown Location: 290A Joo Chiat Rd, Singapore 427542
The origin of this mural is a mystery to us. However, the shop on which the
wall was painted is called the Dog Grocer. They may be related.
9 Dekat Di Mata, Juah Di Hati ( In Plain Sight, but far from the heart) Artist: Zulkarnaen Othman -ZERO 45 (2023) Location: 290A Joo Chiat Road Singapore 427542
The mural was painted by the pioneer of Street Art in Singapore - Zero 45. It touches on loss of memories and spaces, either through generation, modernisation or time.
10 Tom & Jerry Wall Mural (2024)
Artist: Papadem
Location: 290A Joo Chiat Road, Singapore 427542
This is a new mural for 2024. The mural commemorates the Tom and Jerry
series set in Singapore and references local and Peranakan Culture.
Start your Street Art journey at Kway Guan Huat Popiah. This stall has been
around since 1938, making Popiah and Kueh Pie Tee.
Kway Guan Huat
There are 3 murals by Jaxton Su on the right and left sides of the shop.
Kway Guan Huat
The left showed an elderly person and a child making popiah the traditional
way, with another child hidden in the background, while the right showed a street hawker from yesteryear.
This is a reproduction of The Great Wave. Located inside a private house
along Crane Road, off Joo Chiat Road, you cannot gain access to it. If you
are around the British Hainan restaurant, you might get a glimpse of it.
Tucked in an alley leading to the Joo Chiat Complex, this used to be a mural of an old kampung.
Kampung Mural
It has recently been replaced with a more vibrant depiction of a Malay wedding.
16 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
17 #MedleyAlley Artis : 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. It is coated in bright yellow and 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 murawasis created by a team o,f 4 comprising Nicia Lam, Valerie Neo, Novena Angela, and Yullis Lam.
Medley Alley East Coast Road
18 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 an alley along East Coast Road next to Kim Choo Kueh Chang.
Rumah Bebe
The next destination is along the East Coast Road. Before you reach
it, turn onto the minor road next to AlibabaR Hawker Bar, where you
will find a handful of street art behind the row of shophouses.
Rumah Bebe
The first thing 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, which is famous for its dumplings. It features a lady in Peranakan Gear floating
in the air with Dumpling Balloons.
20 Unknown Artist: Unknown Location: 152 East Coast Road S428855 Building next to
Mount Pleasant Veterinary Centre
Your next stop is a short walk away. Cross the other side of the road
and head towards Mount Pleasant Veterinary Centre. This used to be Turtle Cape by The Ink and Clog Studio. It has since been updated to a more vibrant mural. However, information is lacking on this art work.
Turtle Cape
21 Children and a 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 was commissioned by Katong
Antique House.
You can check out the entire painting process in this video.
22 Katong Antique House
Artist: Alvin Mak
Location: 208 East Coast Road, S428907
Katong Antique House
Artist Alvin Mak has another Mural on the back side 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.
23 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.
24 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.
Next to the Ikan Kurau is a new mural. This shows a scene in a Kopitiam. Not much is known about this mural except that it is tagged by @Downthecrosshatch
This mural might be non-commissioned as it is painted behind a row of residential houses along Loring Stangee. It is not easy to find, as it is tucked away in an alley. Look out for a black and white spiralling staircase to bring you there.
27 Mama Shop Artist: Alvin Mark (2025) Location: 3 Lor Stangee 7-Eleven
The Mamashop was once the cornerstone of community life in Singapore throughout the 20th century. It has fast disappeared in modern Singapore. This mural was painted on the SAME spot where a mama shop once stood in the 1970s. It is painted by Alvin Mark Tan, the same street artist for Katong Antique House.
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