The 'Legal' Street Art of Singapore

Graffiti crew RSCLS and muralist Yip Yew Chong take us through Singapore neighbourhoods. We visit some iconic walls, discuss Singapore’s vandalism laws, and life as an artist in Singapore.
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[@Mushroomlau]

As a singaporean, I genuinely do not mind these art works on the streets as long as it is not rude or racist. Also don't draw on the mrt or buses.

[@ariffinwahaha]

Pie Nation why not ? Itll make Singapore more colourful and lively and everything!

[@godsama959]

@@ariffinwahaha Colourful and lively is not the words that come to mind.

[@ariffinwahaha]

@@godsama959 there have been mrt trains with murals on it if ure wondering. for years there have been on them. so ya

[@ariffinwahaha]

mothership.sg/2017/10/lta-dresses-up-nel-and-dtl-trains-buses-for-deepavali-will-run-till-end-oct-2017/

[@chargerim2426]

yellowsparks andy well i mean that isnt illegal,drawing and that are two different things

[@victoriedits]

i love the contrast between the two of many types of artists. we have the relatable 'dreamer' so to speak whom shares the fond memories of his past on one hand and on the other hand a controversial realist that uses his art as to invoke uncomfortable but needed discussions of society. i adore both of their art and thank them for making the streets of singapore more colorful ^^

[@pizzaburger9928]

you described it perfectly. its absolutely beautiful.

[@alexhauberk382]

First guy says he’s amateurish and then shows a dope ass masterful painting that even many trained painters could never conceive. Damn I love the humbleness of this dude. Huge talent and no ego, a beautiful rarity

[@awilduser895]

The guy's back drenched in sweat is hella relateable in singapore

[@InIversal]

I just got back from Singapore 4 days ago. Now it's following me on the internet😂😂😂😂😂.

[@charliepayy]

exactly the same for me I also got the place I was staying pop up as an ad its creepy

[@nathancabiles796]

lovejdm *G O O G L E*

[@drastocedits2682]

it's nice to see two ends of the spectrum towards local murals

[@louizeantiplastique4581]

The dude with glasses is so happy all the time and funny 😹

[@wangcyang89]

I'm sure after spending 25 years doing accounting and then having the opportunity to make art that people appreciate will make anyone happy :D

[@Denso1980]

25 years and looks like that? Is he immortal??

[@EsthersPersona]

At 6:10 he actually says "community chest" which is the charity arm of the Singaporean government

[@flip1sba]

I have visited SG back in 2010 and in 2016. Painted in Somerset Skate Park which is one of my favorite places to paint as it is right next to Orchard Road. I also visited Blackbook and have used Zenith Cans. It's wack that they don't produce it anymore. Enjoyed SG and I plan to come back!

[@v4nnyz]

Pleasantly surprised to see content about Singapore on Vice!

[@TsukyomiHoshinaUtau]

So I once did a poll asking my frens if they would want their flats to have paintings (like the ones at Khatib) , and majority actually chose no, which made me shocked? Like why... Singapore hdb flats are like bunch of matchbox stacked tgt.. It's nice to have these paintings to give a touch of colour or accent to it.

[@alonewithalones]

RSCLS are amazing, totally humble and down to earth people.

[@hannahgohya]

beautiful stories, showing the greater side of my homeland. thank you Vice!

[@hannahgohya]

you barely know where we came from and how we’ve developed. if you’ve nothing to contribute to the conversation, then nobody’s asking you to be an empty vessel.

[@hannahgohya]

Didi Tribal you know nothing about how we were & how far we’ve come. piss off.

[@beasturass6558]

@Didi Tribal It is true haha

[@peterfile4910]

Didi Tribal ok go back and farm in ur third world country then

[@xr1747]

@Didi Tribal Which third world shithole did you come from?

[@firdaus125]

Lol Vice posted this on Singapore's national day

[@maisiehan1551]

Saw many of these on my trip there...and it’s especially nice to see the faces behind the art

[@iwong6]

Thank you for creating videos like this.... For shedding light onto an otherwise unknown piece of Singapore!

[@wolfzyiii4935]

i was in singapore a few weeks ago and saw all your art, so amazing

[@simsimran]

I went to sg recently and really loved this art work on the walls...it is so cool that this vid came up on who drew them, thanks for your great work !!

[@yayaazman6633]

Well. My lect was so against me sharing with the class about graffiti. Bitch. Street art is where I got inspired and learn to appreciate arts outside museums....

[@MapleXD2000]

true a government going hard against street artists/ graffiti artists will eventually end up killing its next generations of artists.

[@ronneilcabrera2301]

Well, in a general sense, what's poison to some is food to other, and food to some is poison to other. The government is there to promote the common good, a certain harmony, if they see graffiti as an obstruction to the general populace then they would listen to them. Imagine a random guy showing up to your house and spray paint your walls without your permission. Would you be pleased? So it all comes down to mutual respect. Art doesn't always have to be inhibited by anger and rage, we already have a truckload of that.

[@MapleXD2000]

@@ronneilcabrera2301 some guy in fact tagged my house some days ago. its just a time stamp of someones existence. its not something people do just for fun. in most cases it comes from a deeply existential force. yes there are people (obviously about a bunch in each place of the world) who write their names to find purpose in live. what a surprise. a wizard doesn't become an astronaut just like that. its one of a few forms of art that require the will to do something that could have extreme consequences(physically, finically or both), which actually sets it even with doing sport. people who get caught should pay exactly the real damage + lawyer and not end up in prison surrounded by people that might introduce them to the real bad things. imo this is a put situation since the intellectual value of a tag/graffiti counters the material/optical devaluation of the wall/building its painted on.

[@ronneilcabrera2301]

@@MapleXD2000 the severity of legal repercussions they placed to those artist are undeniably unjustified. And I agree with you. But why break the law in the name of art? If the state had clearly announced their limitations why denounce it and break it still, then complained about it? I believe the law supersedes sentiments especially when it's trying to protect the interest of the general populace.

[@MapleXD2000]

@@ronneilcabrera2301 i see your point. but if the law really tries to protect the interest of the general populace, why is public advertisement legal and graffiti not? public advertisement is just as inevitable and intrusive as graffiti. To me at least. It is brought into the public not autonomous like graffiti but by someone paying money. The result is the same. Maybe if all graffiti writers had the money and time to to get permission for every spot they paint, there wouldn't be illegal graffiti, just like there is no illegal advertisement.

[@yongcz30]

Fascinating i dont even know theres such good paintings in singapore even tho im singaporean

[@ravikiran5296]

Some prefer paper, some prefer computer but some prefer a wall at the end of the day they are all Artists. So all i can do is respect and appreciate their work. Because i have no such talent.

[@YusriSapari]

thank you for this wonderful documentary

[@SuccessforLifester]

12:00 I thought I am looking at Mahathir

[@1.5Mviews]

Sean hahaha me to🤭

[@alxyz6926]

it is mahathir

[@DarkDoughnutsVids]

It's his brother.

[@thedogfather6270]

That is him. That's how he stays under the radar.

[@ezabellakhan8488]

now that you point it out yeaa

[@JackieToong]

Great video. When i see the art i always wonder who painted them. Now i know great video 😁👍

[@Phukenelle]

I love these guys, they are living their passion. All these guys at Kampung Glam are terrific people. Great to see some of their art 👍✌️

[@arlenedaposala9707]

I like how even singapore, the almost "perfect" country have these people who sees its flaws as well.. But at the same time, respectful of the laws and accepts it.

[@miehiiep]

It's so cool that he just found himself in art

[@zz_zam]

i like how they put subtitles

[@theonghantan862]

Nice and creative..keep going..guys🙂🙂🙂

[@badfiction5928]

Me after watching this gets inspired and starts sketching on a paper

[@huzshr1517]

Cool insights!

[@anthtan]

Thank you @Vice !

[@SyaSkygazer]

At 4:20 i believe it's Slac as in the artist SlacSatu, instead of Slack :)

[@osmosico]

who cares

[@flip1sba]

Yes it is Slac.

[@CantThinkofaCoolOne]

Wonderful.

[@SuccessforLifester]

I got the actual picture of Yeo Ban Kok, the masks seller. I took a few pictures of him using Black and White films.

[@soapy2587]

Sean Wow that’s awesome!

[@SuccessforLifester]

@@soapy2587 He was a popular icon for photography back then. Always got a smile on his face. A nice uncle. On that day I also took a photo of an old man doing net fishing on a sampang at Singapore river at boat quay. It was like the last sampang around. And he was wearing a traditional conical straw hat.

[@soapy2587]

Sean Amazing.. is there any way I can see the photos?

[@SuccessforLifester]

@@soapy2587 Hard to find at moment. Need some digging

[@crafael.]

Dear Yew Chong, if painting mural can’t pay a bill, you should try be a radio DJ, dubbing artist or even emcee. Your voice is beautiful as your arts.

[@NINJAWHEE]

Blackbook has an amazing community and the crew is chill af

[@kevinmamusung6660]

yoo Zero wearing GarduHouse tees awesome lad

[@mintoffel]

I MISS SINGAPORE

[@bobrompuvan]

good job bro...💓💓

[@jssstalin6457]

I like very much street art you paintings very realistic super.. i need art job possible..

[@owenchau4719]

lol i met mr yip before. he took me on a tour with my schoolmates of his art

[@waltmanwrld1189]

I love that dog at the end :D

[@sorrydot]

keep the passion alive yo

[@kemj7779]

People talk about how strict Singapore is with street art and graffiti, but in many American Cities if u paint illegally you can possibly get a felony meaning 1 year plus in jail.

[@Denso1980]

Is there a country that allows graffiti?

[@kemj7779]

@@Denso1980 Colombia, Taiwan to a degree, and there's many others were cops got more serious problems to worry about other than paint on a wall

[@ehbeesee2229]

Without the caning punishment in America

[@daezjn]

Good!!!

[@emmyescalera1372]

Los Angeles gotta make street art legal. It's populated with so many underground artists waiting to be hear

[@chillingspree2979]

Try Bishan mrt depot next

[@MrKevins39]

I'll be in Singapore next year for the Lions Club International convention. I may have to check out the street art it looks amazing.

[@waltmanwrld1189]

7 : 23 I wanna know what this background song is

[@amsyar4194]

does anyone know the name of the studio on 67 aliwal street? i can t find it online

[@rafael2144]

Why does this video have CC lol xD I can understand them lol xD

[@qiqi7127]

a lot of youtube videos have subs for whatever languages spoken, it is for etc deaf ppl to read.

[@rafael2144]

@@qiqi7127 but KZbin has a specific button for that. Only reason I can think of is if they post it on another website.

[@celery8059]

I saw the vice headquarters near tajong pagar lmao

[@i_haz_no_comments4775]

I just wonder where is all the durian paintings chilli crab paintings n stuff

[@Machexe]

🔥🔥

[@zadato7808]

6:25 I saw him last time went I went to Chinatown 7:57

[@nizamzlatan5192]

racial profiling is definitely on-point in Singapore.

[@Benjamin-wy4dj]

Well thats sterotypes. We can be better. This is a society issue.

[@redskysaturn75]

That's true grew up with it

[@milesedgeworth132]

Grew up with racial profiling in Malaysia where Malays are given privilege written in the constitution. I'd say you're lucky to be born in Singapore.

[@redskysaturn75]

in singapore its very hidden, but there is racial profiling, its widespread in work environment where they hire bilingual speaking. in the military its worse. there is a reason 3rd generation minorities are all leaving or have left the country

[@milesedgeworth132]

@@Asyrafazman11 And Malaysia originally belonged to Indians. What's your point?

[@vickysolveresss9890]

GARDU HOUSE EXTENDED GRAFFITI FAMILY YOO!!

[@SuccessforLifester]

I first discovered amazing Street arts in Penang. The murals there have become a tourist attraction. Ironically I have not gone to check out the locals one yet. Will do so one day.

[@getrex4043]

i’m a big fan of banksy

[@songkok7hitam]

Once you allowed it, you can't put a stop to it. Bcoz arts is about expressing ones feeling. Especially when it makes sense.

[@faciality]

9:44 music anyone?

[@anoyoioi]

RESPECT TO GARDUHOUSE INDONESIA. :FIRE: :FIRE: !

[@abbyzain3232]

I hope you got the pic taken before they painted it off....same thing happening in Msia....not many are open to murals...but it's slowing changing ....

[@KALHAEKAL]

toppp 👍🏻👍🏻

[@zachlee3945]

Detective Conan enjoying his durian ^ ^

[@TheZiqi]

The accountant artist's work is like Bach, the other's work is like Chopin

[@tejslevision6327]

waaaaa garduhouse😍❤️

[@lukmandeanson]

I always think that graffiti is very good. Maybe because i like wording a lot. I dont see any vandalism at it. Its an art.

[@terencew3840]

Good if a highly skilled artist worked on it. Bad if done by shitty “artists”

[@jrzjnz7573]

8 lashes with a rattan cane 😓

[@Khabib9-z8w]

How do i contact this guy

[@agusparulian5788]

yo gardu house! extended family

[@CutieRingoJoy]

Graffiti is illegal in Singapore tho I’m surprised they can , im from Singapore

[@terencew3840]

It is ok if the govt says ok. U cant just go around drawing on people’s properties. I guess theyve found the right balance . Approving art n putting them on proper places

[@devingregory5391]

Check out the Sri Lankan 🇱🇰 street art trend that’s happening now

[@devingregory5391]

In Kandy

[@zharifrahman]

dulu tanah ini dikenali sebagai Temasek, kasihan bangsa ini , nenek moyang bangsa ini kaya raya, apalah nasib, kini bumi dipijak milik orang

[@momololo3223]

Orang apa? Indon?

[@eyhtwozed2606]

Itu dahulu. Cerita sudah basi. Mohon majukan pemikiran

[@GorgonDrageil]

I love the accountant artist! 😂 lol

[@erkanzultan]

Yo Ants!!!

[@TerribleTonyShow]

good shit

[@jubileej1629]

AYE SG

[@edwassermann8368]

of course they sanction this guy to do these happy, tradition loving murals. he is not asking public questions. and with him they de facto have graffiti without having graffiti. u dig?

[@_kips_7133]

Bruh help i just drew on my bedroom walls and i can hear the mata outside my door, oh shit oh god. Guys what do I do should my mom is going to so mad please i dont want my e scooter to get confiscated

[@MenskFCDH]

I even spray painted my bedroom wall when i was young.

[@slacsatu]

👍🏽🍻

[@restumamahriding8666]

Gardu House✌️

[@SuccessforLifester]

On the other hand on the topic of discrimination, many admire that Malays get to go to SCDF, SPF, or given vocations like store men, drivers in NS. Also Malays can study for free in tertiary institutions if I am not wrong.

[@SuccessforLifester]

@Didi Tribal Have you served NS? If not you will not understand such good 'discrimination' that the majority of the combat vocations personnel see. A store vocation gives the person a lot of free time. Some even get to stay out and go home daily. For driver, they got a license for free which is very relevant as a civilian. And everyone loves to get into SPF and SCDF. I am not sure about the free tertiary education thing. I just know that in the past it was free. It was quite a low profile thing and I dont know how it works.

[@SuccessforLifester]

@Didi Tribal I just checked, there is an awesome tertiary tuition fee subsidy programme for needy Malay family. Can cover 70 to 100 percent. Such a programme does not seem to be available for Chinese. So this is another good initiative for Malays

[@SuccessforLifester]

@Didi Tribal The Malay scheme should be the best one. The Chinese scheme is different and also must be for a super needy family

[@SuccessforLifester]

@Didi Tribal I check that for Malay, 1400 SGD per capital household income can get 100 percent subsidy. The Chinese has a bursary scheme but must be 690 SGD per capital household income and they get 4000 SGD as subsidy per year. So it is a good scheme to help Malays to move forward

[@SuccessforLifester]

@Didi Tribal The annual tertiary tuition fee in Singapore for NUS starts from 8200 to 9000 +++ SGD for most courses. This is after an MOE grant that most would receive. So a full subsidy is substantial as compared to a 4000 SGD bursary

[@johnbruce9075]

Yeo Ban Kok

[@rupakdev1826]

I like the guy with the glasses better the other guy is like trying too hard like he's not enjoying it.

[@evs251]

I agree. Also the guy with the glasses makes way better art

[@joecramp2987]

I really love his art style, really unique and talented

[@sidewalkslam]

Please educate yourself about street art before making such comments.

[@kyoto_karat3896]

@@sidewalkslam Exactly. There r many different types of styles, but street art goes way back when street art was essentially tagging walls and wut not.

[@Natenie]

R.Y while not everyone is into subcultures and able to appreciate the alternative art form, i do agree on your “educate yourself first” comment because them normie just dont know when to stfu and learn some new stuff outside of their normie lives. Lol.

[@SasikumarArasaratnam]

Different "strokes "!!. One with so much positivity & other with so much negativity.

[@Zulfakar1337]

All china paintings?

[@bluelite21]

"her granddaddy's wall"

[@yongjie1555]

why does he sound like a doctor from a private clinic?

[@bytemegga]

Brings back those RSO memories.

[@Khabib9-z8w]

Hi i am looking for a artist,

[@Sone_carat90]

Racial profiling? Geez I’m a Malay Muslim and never have I ever been stopped by the cops for security checks. It’s just your luck, buddy.

[@SuccessforLifester]

I guess the long hair increased the chance. And if there are exposed tattoos, it will even be worst. Cannot blame the police to have some baseline profiling.

[@zafiraa9799]

That guy is very insecure..

[@mohammadsufi8536]

I'm a Singaporean but I find it kinda racist they don't let us muslim join alot of stuff in the army but they make us serve and then they said racial harmony

[@terencew3840]

Good thing that it has changed already. And that point on being a sniper isn't true. Ive worked with a malay encik who was a sniper back in early 2000s. Hes part of the SAF shooting team. Chill dude who has an aura of mystery. Those who've seen him will know who im talking about.

[@ricimercury9490]

You guys don't get it don't you, the fundamental base of Graffiti art and street art is rebel. Behind every artwork has a story ( depth ). It's subjective but art is never just about esthetic, it's the emotions and technical skills.

[@sdqsdq6274]

so O$P$ is a art ?

[@ehbeesee2229]

@@sdqsdq6274 there is no thought and creative process in O$P$ at all

[@jessical7083]

"Medium is the Message" MAKES NO SENSE! 🤣🤣🤣 That bald lady thinks she made such an insightful statement, she did NOT.

[@yang_2982]

huh got meh

[@i_haz_no_comments4775]

Honestly i dont get the malay profiling part it should be appearance profiling. Nobody in life will force u to get tattoos piercing or outragous outfits.

[@nadiamohamad4661]

People here talking about things they dont know. Smhh! How about just appreciate the art? Go get a life if all you see is only positive and negative. Goddammit.

[@promisewalker7031]

First comment

[@greyfar9592]

Singaporean?⬇️