To Singapore: Ever-changing to Progress

JULIANA CHAN

102cm x 76 cm

Oil on Canvas

2019

As a citizen, I am proud of our cityscape. Architecturally, we have a diverse blend of buildings: religious buildings placed besides residential and mixed-use commercial developments. The resultant skyline is dynamic, which is also reflective of Singapore’s rich and constantly evolving culture and identity. As we carry on this legacy, we appreciate and continue to work hard for Singapore’s continued progress and prosperity.

This particular skyline was chosen when I was exploring the area from a high vantage point. Being an architect, I found the layering of various architectural sites besides a construction site intriguing. An inspiring conversation between the old, and the new. Every endeavour in painting a city is an act of historical documentation. By the time the painting is complete, the city would have changed yet again. So this artwork then becomes a precious memory and snapshot of a city that is constantly on the move.

The subjects depicted in the painting - a religious building, residential buildings, conservation developments (shophouses) and the commercial high-rise buildings - are symbolic of Singapore’s multireligious and multiracial heritage, our home and shared values, as well as the shared prosperity that all of us strive towards.