MIGRANT MURALS
migration history on concrete 一百五十年的新加坡华人移民史，从苦力、劳工到新移民，他的壁画在日新月异的都市中留下了历史的印记
O Business District, artist migration. The mural spans the entire back wall of the historic Thian laborers and philanthropist Tan Tock Seng built in 1839 to honor of the sea, for their safe voyage to Singapore.
Visited by hundreds of thousands of migrants who arrived, mainly week boat journey, the Thian Hock Keng Temple was one of the earliest structures of the settlement that later land reclamation projects expanded the district, the temple was on the coast. An accountant by day and this migratory history, narrating a tale that begins with coolie laborers in the 1800s to the women from became construction workers for
Having grown up in Singapore’s I grew up in the 70s and early 80s was very raw, very authentic and cinematic,” he says. Day to day, the a “highly spirited” place with food
“History just repeats itself. The workers coming into Singapore today are the same as the coolies across from each other in the food station. Around us, Singaporeans
getting off work are lining up at the mall’s stalls, serving a range of cuisines. “This moment right here, us eating in this food court with this environment around us—i guarantee you, in 10 years will not be here. That’s how fast this city is developing.”
The ephemeral nature of our work. Though paintings chip away and weather with the years, Singapore is being constantly remade before it can grow old. In addition to Thian sized murals across the city depicting ordinary life in a bygone Singapore, recreating the roadside shops that used to line the sidewalks. He also pays tribute to history with his artwork of the kampongs , traditional Malay villages that have been made over to skyscrapers today.
However, it’s no easy task to etch the Thian Hock Keng mural was commissioned by the Singapore projects and sketches he has yet to paint because he is still waiting for the government permits. One planned project involves paintings and lifestyles that migrants brought to Singapore.
have become powerful tools to preserve a people’s history. In Malaysia, Russian artist Julia Volchkova was commissioned to paint a mural that pays homage to of Kuala Lumpur. Arturo Ho’s as well as successful protests, including the victory against the construction of a new prison in the neighborhood. Together these public artworks tell the story of immigrant labor and its contributions to growing metropolises, to make sure these histories are never forgotten.