Urban legend in the making: Who is the Yishun Mask Lady?

Yishun estate is infamous for being Singapore's "Upside Down". 

Now imagine walking through the blocks of the estate to find a masked lady staring you down.

Is that a human? Or are my eyes playing tricks on me? Well, if it eases your mind, you've probably just met Yishun's newest quirk, the Yishun Mask Lady. 

The Yishun Mask Lady definitely passes off as a character from urban legends. Picking out oranges and shuffling through the supermarket with a huge mask that covers her whole head, she sticks out like a sore thumb amongst the crowd. 

But of course, this is no myth. In fact, the lady behind the mask is none other than local actress Wendy Toh.

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Speaking with AsiaOne, she said that the masks were initially for a theatre performance about consumerism. But as she continued, she was amused by the masks and decided to wear them out for fun. 

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Each mask is handcrafted by Toh herself and is made from materials she finds around the house. From cardboard boxes to Ikea bags, each of her creations is spontaneous, featuring different kinds of expressions. 

The actress also recounted the time when she brought a mask to a nearby fruit store. She said: "An elderly couple could not stop laughing at me. They were asking me so many questions. It's like you can expect anything in Yishun."  

While the masked lady has only been spotted at bus stops and void decks, Toh has expressed her wish to make more masks and travel with them around Yishun. 

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So the next time you see #theyishunmasklady, don't be afraid to say hi! 

kimberlyfoo@asiaone.com