Graffiti might be illegal in Singapore, but there's still plenty of vibrant — albeit sanctioned — street art if you know where to look.
If you're a fan of artist Yip Yew Chong's work, such as his iconic murals around Chinatown and Ang Mo Kio, he has some new street art at 30 Temple Street you should check out.
Like much of his other works, the realistic murals, completed on Nov 27, ooze old-school charm.
In one, an uncle is shown pouring tea from the third storey of a shophouse.
In another, more uncles sip tea at a coffee shop.
There's also an elaborate wet market scene featuring a shirtless fishmonger, a vegetable stall, chickens in cages and ducks roasting in a charcoal oven.
And if you get your angles right, you'll be able to fit right into the artwork.
According to the artist's Facebook updates, the murals took 24 days to paint amid delays caused by wet weather, technical issues and his "unstoppable passion for adding details".
The 52-year-old quit his job as a finance director in 2018 to pursue art and has painted over 50 murals around Singapore.
From the one at Thian Hock Keng Temple, which pays tribute to Chinese immigrants, to the one in Kampong Glam, which features a batik and carpet shop, his murals seek to tell stories of bygone eras.
His work has even taken him overseas. In 2019, he was invited to paint a mural in Delhi, India, as part of Singapore Weekender, a festival organised by St+Art India Foundation and Singapore Tourism Board.
kimberlylim@asiaone.com