PAssionArts Festival 2015: PA event creates art in the heartland

HDB blocks turn into art galleries for 50,000 residents creating works for PAssion Arts
By Cheow Sue-Ann, The Straits Times, 7 Jul 2015

Giant flowers, a fruit market and rings representing the hopes of Singapore residents.

These are among 105 designs for Housing Board block facades being created by thousands of Singaporeans for the fourth annual PAssion Arts, which begins on Sunday.



The canvasses will be attached to the side of HDB blocks across the island, as well as at two condominiums, for the event which is organised by the People's Association (PA) and runs until Aug 30.

Some 50,000 residents are creating the artworks and more than 250,000 people are expected to take part in the festival as a whole.

Other art pieces - conceptualised by grassroots leaders and artists - will represent local food, people and architecture.

Housewife Tan Wee Ling, 46, has been helping to paint a "circle of life" design in Jurong with the help of her mother and two children aged 16 and 21 - giving the family some valuable bonding time.

"It's fun and at least we can all do something together on the weekends," she said.

"This is the first time we are all doing a community activity like that together."

Mr Muhammad Safiudin Rasol, 21, painted with a group of friends from his Malay dance group called The ChubbZ. He said: "I want to interact with the neighbours. I enjoy playing and painting with the kids, and it's a good way to get to know other residents."

Schools, voluntary welfare organisations and government agencies are also taking part in this year's festival which, for the first time, will also extend into theatre in an "Open Homes" project.

Households will open their doors to stage 25 mini-plays in which the home owners will narrate a personal story. The project will also feature four plays that will tour community centres and condominium function rooms.

Other art forms will include floating paintings of Singapore landscapes that will be displayed in Khatib and suspended knitted thoran, a traditional Indian art form. These are hung in the doorways to invite prosperity and wealth and are being made by Bedok residents of all races.

Mr Ang Hak Seng, chief executive director of the People's Association, said: "That was our intention - to bring people together."

Eager to know what's on in this year's festival? Here's the full 84-page festival guide fresh from the oven of creativity and PAssion!
Posted by PAssionArts on Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Colourful facades for 105 HDB blocks unveiled at Passionarts Festival
Works of art, which would adorn the facades of 105 HDB blocks islandwide, have been unveiled at the People's Association Passionarts Festival.
By Kimberly Spykerman, and Monica Kotwani, Channel NewsAsia, 18 Jul 2015

Works of art, which would adorn the facades of 105 HDB blocks islandwide, were unveiled at the People's Association Passionarts Festival on Saturday (Jul 18).

One HDB block in Ang Mo Kio was among the 14 blocks across Ang Mo Kio and Sengkang West to have artwork on their facades. The paintings added a splash of colour to the neighbourhood, but they were also portraits of home.

Over 3,000 residents were involved in the creative process, and each painting tells its own story. The designs were crafted on a canvas sheet by visual artist Fish Jaafar, and residents helped add the colour to the drawings.

"We have the national icons on top and the local icons below,” said Mr Jaafar. “You know people say, in Ang Mo Kio there's nothing much, but these landmarks are actually quite meaningful to people over here. Teck Ghee Square, their malls and all that are heavily frequented, but easily looked over."

Mr Loke Choon Kit was one Ang Mo Kio resident who roped in his whole family to help paint the art panels. They spent two sessions - one spanning eight hours and the other five - doing so.

"The art piece we chose happened to be the one that would be on the facade of our HDB flat, so there's special significance to us," said Mr Loke.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who is also an MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC, also had a hand in dressing up one of the HDB blocks by putting the finishing touches to an art panel.

He also toured the Passionarts Festival Village in Ang Mo Kio, which featured art and craft booths, and performances.

For SG50, we are decorating 105 blocks all over the island with commemorative artworks. This display in Teck Ghee...
Posted by Lee Hsien Loong on Saturday, July 18, 2015

DISPLAYS OF COLOUR

The PassionArts Festival was also celebrated at Tiong Bahru Park on Saturday evening, featuring a colourful display of works by more than 10,000 residents, artists and arts groups.

Residents and community artists came together to create a massive, 25-metre hand-painted dragon lantern installation.

Another highlight was the Dreams SG100 Art Display, which came about using paintings by 1,000 residents. The paintings will be displayed at the skygarden of the Pinnacle@Duxton.

Residents were also entertained with a host of music performances. MPs for Tanjong Pagar GRC, including Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Chan Chun Sing, attended the event.