An Ode to Joo Chiat

In this outdoor mural, artist Victor Emmanuel and his artistic team, Stellah Lim & Marcel Gaspar, present a vibrant interpretation of shophouse life in Joo Chiat, where children play freely along the five-foot way, families reside within layered homes, and merchants of old trades line the bustling streets.

The commissioned mural for Cnergy Petrol Station showcases the spirit of local entrepreneurship in Singapore during the 1950s and 60s. It reflects a time when small businesses and hawker culture were mobile, modular, and inventive; where communities intermingled and cultures intertwined in the fabric of daily life.

The shophouses, adorned with the signature Peranakan glass and tile motifs, stand as enduring symbols of beauty and resilience. Through colour and form, the mural captures not only heritage but also the optimism of an era, when the simplicity of early Singaporean life paved the way for the vibrant metropolis it has become.