Experience AR.T Trail
on the
DOWNTOWN LINE
The MeshMinds Foundation, with the support of the National Arts Council Singapore and Meta Open Arts, brings to life selected artworks which are part of the Land Transport Authority (LTA) programme, Art in Transit (AIT).
AR.T Trail in Transit offers members of the public a chance to learn about Singapore’s cultural heritage and the historical significance of the surrounding area of each station on the Downtown Line, as well as each of the artworks commissioned to be part of AIT.
Starting with collaborative conversations with LTA and SBS Transit, the Downtown Line owner and operator respectively of the artworks, The MeshMinds Foundation uses Spark AR to create site-specific augmented reality art (AR.T) experiences to create an innovative, fun and engaging way to learn about the AIT artworks held within each MRT station. In alignment with LTA's vision to create a people-centred land transport system, we encourage travellers to engage with the AIT artworks and share their photos and videos on Instagram Stories.
The MeshMinds Foundation hopes that AR.T In Transit will result in more people opting to take public transport in Singapore and having a deeper understanding of our living heritage, in line with Goals 3, 9 and 11 of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Promoting Culture Through AR
Digital technology has become an important gateway to culture. It has the capacity to protect and preserve traditions, stories and legacies, while enabling more people to learn about different cultures through the representation of various communities.
The use of digital technologies like augmented reality (AR) brings static art to life and ensures the artwork’s continued relevance amongst younger generations, while fostering interest and appreciation amongst a wider online audience base.
Augmented reality (AR) enables us to expand on the original artworks' narratives through added layers of interactivity and immersion, allowing us to engage our audience in a deeper discourse. Through augmented reality art (AR.T) we bring new dimensions to a tapestry of public artworks that tell wondrous, culturally significant stories about their corresponding Downtown Line landmarks.
These works are a celebration of Singapore's people, culture and traditions. We invite the residents of Singapore to rediscover our past and reimagine our future, through the lens of AR.T.
Self-Guided Tours
Take a trip round the heart of the Downtown Line and watch the public artworks around the station come to life!
The Self-Guided Tours PDF will serve as your trusted guide as you begin the AR.T Trail from DT12 Little India Station, all the way down to DT21 Bencoolen Station. The Tour Guide will aid you in understanding more about the AR.T, know where to find the AR posters and how best to experience the AR effects.
Download the Tour Guide below and begin your own AR.T Trail in Transit!
Explore the AR.T Stations
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Ripple the singhaulia patterns like the waves of Singapore's rivers!
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Find the traditional geometric patterns woven into the artwork!
Ripple the singhaulia patterns like the waves of Singapore's rivers!
Find the traditional geometric patterns woven into the artwork!
About AR.T @ Little India
'AR.T @ Little India’ brings to life 'Woven Field' by Grace Tan. The original artwork highlights the local craftsmanship and rich cultural heritage of the area above DT12 Little India Station, which is represented by geometric patterns common in Indian saris. You are invited to interact with the movement of the patterns behind you and on your clothing. The movement is inspired by the flow of the nearby Rochor Canal, the trains and the commuters travelling along the Downtown Line.
About Woven Field
The soft curves of the architectural features in Little India Station set the backdrop for Woven Field – a landscape of tessellated triangular configurations inspired by the singhaulia woven patterns commonly seen in the traditional sari. The beauty of the sari cloth lies in its intricate and repetitive geometric patterns, shaped by the weaving of the lengthwise warp and widthwise weft yarns.
About Grace Tan
Grace Tan began her practice in 2003 under the kwodrent series to explore wearable fabric structures based on the study of rectangles and construction methods. Her interest in material and construction led her wearable works to evolve into sculptural objects and site-specific installations. Geometry is another key influence. The works are also distinguished by tactile nuances that accentuate matter and form.
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Join the motherboard and connect with our past to power Singapore's future!
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Disperse energy through different found items from the Thieve's market to power the motherboard!
Join the motherboard and connect with our past to power Singapore's future!
Disperse energy through different found items from the Thieve's market to power the motherboard!
About AR.T @ Rochor
‘AR.T @ Rochor’ brings to life 'Tracing Memories' by LASALLE College of the Arts (LASALLE). The original artwork highlights the cultural history of Sungei Road Thieves Market, which was once Singapore’s oldest and largest flea market, and a trading spot by the banks of the river above DT13 Rochor Station. The found items from the past make up a motherboard powering Singapore's present and future. You are invited to interact with some of the objects that were once sold in the market and celebrate how today's digital technologies can serve as a gateway to our traditional cultures.
About Tracing Memories (LASALLE)
The students of LASALLE College of the Arts acquired local vintage objects from the Thieves’ Market, which are featured deliberately in the artwork, to convey the impression of a motherboard. The artwork was created using three styles of image making, from simple pencil drawing to monoprint and modern digital drawing.
About LASALLE College of the Arts
LASALLE College of the Arts offers 30 diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in fine arts, design communication, interior design, product design, film, animation, fashion, dance, music, theatre, arts management, arts pedagogy and practice, art therapy, Asian art histories and creative writing. LASALLE provides a nurturing, interdisciplinary learning environment to inspire the next generation of forward-looking, globally engaged artists, designers and leaders of creative industries.
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Sail on the boats full of hope from Singapore's youth towards our nation's future!
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Direct the ships of our youths' hope and dreams for the future!
Sail on the boats full of hope from Singapore's youth towards our nation's future!
Direct the ships of our youths' hope and dreams for the future!
About AR.T @ Bayfront
‘AR.T @ Bayfront’ brings to life 'When The Ship Comes In' by Lee Wen. The original artwork illustrates the rich maritime history of the area above Singapore's DT16 Bayfront Station. The images of ships were created by Singaporean children aged 7–12 years old who based their drawings on actual historical ship models as well as pure fantasy and imagination. You are invited to interact with the ships, reflect on Singapore's transformation from a rural fishing village to a flourishing port and celebrate the children's hopes for the future.
About When the Ship Comes In
The mural is composed of a collage of ship images based on actual historical ship models as well as pure fantasy and imagination. Each of them are drawn by young Singaporeans – aged between 7 to 12 years old. Not only is our history encapsulated within these ships, but also our children’s hopes for the future.
About Lee Wen
Lee Wen was a Singaporean multidisciplinary artist whose work concerns social identity themes. Best known for his Yellow Man series of work, Lee was one of the pioneers of Performance art in Singapore. His work is based on what might be called performance iconics, relying on the strategic deployment of visual and kinesthetic symbols and signs—motivated by a strong conviction of justice and idealism—with a persistence to stay true to the Self in a highly structured world. Lee Wen's essays, texts, and investigations are an important reference, not only for Singaporean and Asian artists, but also for Performance art scholars and researchers worldwide.
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Be part of the mosaic of Singapore!
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See how the Central Business District is part of the bigger picture of a strong network!
Be part of the mosaic of Singapore!
See how the Central Business District is part of the bigger picture of a strong network!
About AR.T @ Downtown
‘AR.T @ Downtown’ brings to life 'Leaves' by Jason Lim. The original artwork highlights the mosaic cell structures of bamboo leaves, which symbolise the complex transportation networks joining different parts of the Central Business District – the economic and cultural heart of Singapore. You are invited to interact with the mosaic pattern and celebrate the vibrancy of the people and numerous businesses operating in the area above DT17 Downtown Station.
About Leaves
The artwork draws inspiration from the structure of bamboo leaves. The dense cell network of leaves are a metaphor for the complex networks of businesses around the station. The blending shades of green illustrate the vibrancy of the area above.
About Jason Lim
Jason Lim is a Singapore-born ceramist and performance artist. Fascinated with the language of clay, he often uses the medium beyond its traditional applications, favouring a minimalist sensibility and the involvement of the viewer. Lim's artworks have long focused on the interaction between body, matter and spirit. In 2007, Lim presented Just Dharma and Light Weight at the Singapore Pavilion of the 52nd Venice Biennale. In the same year, he presented Walking Sticks at the 4th World Ceramics Biennale in Korea. His ceramic work has been acquired by public museums, art institutions, companies and private collectors, both in Singapore and globally.
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Sway with the drying clothes above and the moving train below!
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Send the train to different destinations and keep the clothes fluttering!
Sway with the drying clothes above and the moving train below!
Send the train to different destinations and keep the clothes fluttering!
About AR.T @ Chinatown
‘AR.T @ Chinatown’ brings to life 'Flying Colours' by Cheo Chai-Hiang. The original artwork highlights the practice of hanging laundry from gala – bamboo poles – in the area above DT19 Chinatown Station. You are invited to imagine yourself swaying on a windy day in Singapore. As you look around you, the underground train zooms past and shakes the streets, transforming them into a colourful celebration of culture and movement throughout the bustling streets of Chinatown.
About Flying Colours
‘Flying Colours’ depicts the artist's attempt to translate the mundane process of drying clothes into one which is festive and celebratory. Created in a lenticular format, commuters will experience the subtle changes in colours, giving the illusion that the clothes are flying in the wind outside windows.
About Cheo Chai-Hiang
Cheo Chai-Hiang is an artist who pioneered Singapore's modern art scene. In 1975, he famously wrote that local art during that period was dominated by the production of “beautiful pictures” that were lacking in conceptual content. He perceived art as a thought process and urged the transformation of local realist art to one that redefined methods of artistic representation. He popularised interactive art in Singapore in the 1980s and 1990s with his work Gentleman in Suit and Tie (1988), in the days when such methods of engaging the audience in an exhibition were considered unconventional.
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Let the scenes of Bencoolen fill you in and tie you into the community around it!
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Scroll through the artwork to see how the textures of Bencoolen and silhouette of students are all tied together!
Let the scenes of Bencoolen fill you in and tie you into the community around it!
Scroll through the artwork to see how the textures of Bencoolen and silhouette of students are all tied together!
About AR.T @ Bencoolen
‘AR.T @ Bencoolen’ brings to life 'Tracing Memories' by Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA). The original artwork celebrates the effortless bonding of people who have never met before in the temporary space of a station. It is a conversation between the public and the artists; a reflection of the public and community involvement. The collection of images of significant patterns, buildings and attractions along Bencoolen Street, are used as the basic in-fill to the human line drawings. The figures serve as a subtle way-finding to both the Singapore Management University (SMU) and NAFA exits at DT21 Bencoolen Station
About Tracing Memories (NAFA)
The students of NAFA used an unwinding string to give a sense of direction; which is what a train does. It has the quality of being flexible in its movement and the ability to tie things together. The string is therefore used in the artwork as a metaphor that connects the public together. Silhouettes for the artwork were obtained from still-videos of students performing activities representing the educational institutions – SMU and NAFA.
About NAFA
Established in 1938, the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) is Singapore’s pioneer arts institution. The academy is known for its rigorous and high-quality curriculum, innovative and practitioners-led teaching approach, diverse artistic creations and community outreach.
NAFA’s courses are designed and delivered by experienced art educators and leading industry practitioners. The academic schools regularly review and refine their curriculum to reflect the changing needs of the industry.
With a rich heritage, established track record and an unwavering dedication to the highest standards of arts education, NAFA strives to live up to its mission of “inspiring learning and growth through the arts”.
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