Singapore Deviation: Wander with Art Through the Rail Corridor

Singapore Deviation:
Wander with Art Through the Rail Corridor

Experience nature enlivened through art as you go off the beaten track of the iconic Singapore Rail Corridor.

 

Singapore Deviation is a series of public art commissions exploring the iconic Rail Corridor in Singapore through the works of three artists: Sookoon Ang, Hilmi Johandi, and Tan Pin Pin. Conceived as site-specific installations, each artist offers a unique entry point into the evolving uses of the site, from colonial railway to wildlife corridor and recreational trail.

 

The public art trail is named after a revised alignment to the original Singapore-Kranji Railway in 1932, which resulted in the present-day 24km track that runs through the north-south axis of Singapore.1 Through its conveyance of passengers and goods between Singapore and Peninsular Malaysia, the railway passage embodies histories that are integral to the city-state’s transformation. It remained a significant means of transportation and communications and operated for decades before the last train from Tanjong Pagar departed in 2011. Since then, it has been repurposed as an urban retreat and community leisure zone.

 

Singapore Deviation calls attention to the shifting publics and uses of the Rail Corridor. The series sets up an encounter with a range of figures, messages and sensations that constitute the multi-faceted experience of the Rail Corridor. Each artist reanimates the physical site, considering the Rail Corridor not just as a space of transit but as a constantly changing space, with an ambiguous status and uncertain future. These works invite new perspectives on the diverse social, historical, and ecological relationships that determine the continued relevance of this historic railway track.

 

Singapore Deviation is commissioned by The Everyday Museum, a public art initiative of Singapore Art Museum. It is made possible with the generous support of Sun Venture and in venue partnership with JTC, SBS Transit and Land Transport Authority.

 

To find out more about the programmes and discover #ArtWhereYouAre, please visit

 

 

Sam


1 Curator’s note: At the end of the 1920s, a nine mile “deviation” to the original Singapore-Kranji Railway was proposed, partly motivated by the need to elevate and realign certain portions of the track that were prone to frequent flooding. When the realignment was completed in 1932, it brought trains through a new route from the Bukit Timah station to Tanglin Halt and Kampong Bahru, finally arriving at the new terminus at Tanjong Pagar. For more details: https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/vol-7/issue-3/oct-dec-2011/singapore-railway-lines

artwork highlight

related events

check out the line-up of free and ticketed events below!

 

Public Art Tour: Singapore Deviation
From 19 Jul, every 3rd Saturday of the month (except for 20 Sep)
4.30pm–6.30pm
Tanglin Halt Market (48A Tanglin Halt Road S148813)
$8 (includes a $5 SIP at SAM cafe voucher, redeemable at the end of the tour)

 

The Everyday Museum’s monthly public art tour along the iconic Rail Corridor is back with a refreshed programme! Embark on an art-inspired journey every third Saturday of the month (except for 20 September 2025) and let SAM’s public art team take you on a unique exploration of the Rail Corridor's transformation from colonial railway to wildlife corridor and recreational trail through the works of three artists: Sookoon Ang, Hilmi Johandi and Tan Pin Pin.

 

Presented by The Everyday Museum, a public art initiative by Singapore Art Museum, this tour offers a unique perspective on the evolving uses of this historic site.

 

This is an opportunity to encounter the artworks and their sites through in-depth sharing as well as facilitated participatory segments. Learn about the artistic process and effort behind each work and discover how public art encourages us to reflect on our perception of the world. Join us on a journey that invites curiosity, imagination, and meaningful conversations which will transform our everyday experiences.

 

This guided tour is suitable for ages 16 and above. This tour will end at Kampong Bahru Bus Terminal.

 

Special thanks to Zai Tang and Elliott Ong for their valuable insight that contributed to the content of the programme.

 

Register here

walk walk (Singapore Deviation version)

Tan Pin Pin

2023

Screening room, Single-channel video with English and Chinese subtitles, 27 min 13sec; vinyl texts, various dimensions and LED backlit sign, 45 x 150 cm

Stagecraft: Landscaped Grounds

Hilmi Johandi

2023

UV print on treated aluminium mounted on galvanised steel scaffolding, various dimensions

Moonlight

Sookoon Ang

2023

Bronze, 112 x 82 x 265 cm