[SINGAPORE] Artworks depicting scenes of the Singapore River and its surroundings now adorn construction hoardings at River Green, Wing Tai’s upcoming condo development in the River Valley area.
Created by Pathlight School students with autism spectrum disorder, the 30 pieces of artwork line Kim Seng Linear Park and feature aspects of the Singapore River’s history, flora and fauna, architecture and heritage.
Fourteen-year-old Nurdaanya Binte Mohamed Hafiz’s work is of a playground along the river at sunset, with landmarks such as Marina Bay Sands in the background.
She said: “The message I want to convey is that even in a fast-paced, modern city like Singapore, we should find time to reconnect with simpler joys.”
Her schoolmate Brennan Tay, 20, portrayed people engaged in sport and leisure activities in a park.
“I want to show the joy of sharing wellness and connecting with nature,” he said.
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The students took about three months to create their pieces. For them, the experience began with a site visit to draw inspiration from the surroundings. Next, they experimented with different mediums, ranging from watercolour to colour pencils and collages. Their works were then reproduced in larger format on the hoardings.
Community art canvas
The art pieces went on show from Thursday (Jul 17) along a 200 metre stretch on the perimeter of River Green’s construction site, and will stay up for the next few years.
Stacey Ow-Yeong, head of marketing at Wing Tai Property Management, said the hoardings are “highly visible and accessible”, as the area has high daily footfall.
She added that developers usually put commercial messages on these hoardings, but Wing Tai has taken a different approach.
“As a developer, we have the opportunity to shine a light on different members of the community. We thought that Pathlight students have a different perspective… If you look at their artwork, they see a lot of beauty around us that we may not notice on a daily basis.”
Linda Kho, senior principal of Pathlight School, described this as a “large-scale” project for the students – one that would build their confidence and self-esteem, as well as shift the mindset regarding those with autism.
She said: “Often, when people think of neurodivergence, they view it as a deficit or something unfamiliar, which may lead to misunderstanding or discomfort.
“By recognising and celebrating their abilities and talents through this partnership with Wing Tai, we hope it paves the way for more conversations, greater understanding and more opportunities – not just for Pathlight students, but the many neurodivergent talents in Singapore.”
Ow-Yeong expressed hope that the community art canvas encourages acceptance of neurodivergent students and builds a more inclusive environment.
Art has always been a “defining feature” of Wing Tai’s developments, she said, noting that it sparks conversations and engages the community.
Edmund Cheng, deputy chairman of Wing Tai, said: “Art does more than beautify our surroundings – it enriches the community by creating shared spaces where people can engage with the stories behind the work… Art becomes a catalyst for building stronger, more vibrant communities.”
Kho said this experience was rewarding for the students and will motivate them to continue developing their passion.
As a budding artist, Nurdaanya is “overjoyed” that many people will view her artwork at the construction site, and Tay said he is “delighted and proud” to be among the featured artists.