MS Features: Power washing artist Marcus Pang transforms ordinary dirty walkways into interactive street art
Aiming the nozzle with precision, he carves lines into the pavement — not by adding paint, but by stripping it away.
Dirt lifts. Shapes emerge. And suddenly, what was once just another dull stretch of concrete becomes something else entirely.
A game. A message. A piece of art.
For 24-year-old Marcus Pang, the ground isn’t just something you walk on. It’s a canvas hiding in plain sight.
‘You just have to be willing to clean off a little bit to reveal its potential’
Power washing, at its core, is simple: a high-pressure stream of water blasts away grime from surfaces. But in Marcus’ hands, it becomes something far more deliberate.
“I would say there is always potential in all our daily infrastructure,” he told MS News.
“You just have to be willing to clean off a little bit to reveal its potential.”
Instead of painting over surfaces, he works by contrast — leaving some areas dirty, cleaning others.
The result is an image formed entirely by absence.
“It’s actually quite satisfying,” he said. “You just leave certain parts which are clean and dirty.”
What started as triangles and simple shapes has since evolved into koi fish, interactive games, and even life-sized Snakes and Ladders installations.
But the medium comes with a catch: once you clean a section, there’s no undo button.
“The moment you make a mistake… you’ve already cleaned off that section and you just have to adapt and carry on with it,” he says.
Power washing: Born out of constraint
Ironically, power washing art wasn’t born out of artistic ambition for him, but restriction.
During his national service, Marcus started power washing as a side hustle, cleaning neighbours’ driveways. But when he was caught moonlighting, he had to stop taking paid jobs.
Source: @gazing_marcus on Instagram
“So I started to experiment with my machinery not to lose a touch of it,” he said.
With no clients, he turned to creativity instead.
His first “artwork” wasn’t in a gallery or public space — it was a festive greeting.
“I remember my first ever pattern was actually a Merry Christmas on our own driveway,” he told MS News.
The response from neighbours was immediate and encouraging. He kept going.
Source: @gazing_marcus on Instagram
‘9-to-5 is like a roof, stopping me’
Marcus’ path diverges sharply from the conventional Singaporean trajectory.
“I’ll be honest. There are certain days that I regret not choosing a nine-to-five,” he admitted.
“Because instead of nine to five, I work like eight to eight… sometimes even longer.”
Yet, the trade-off is worth it.
I chose this path because I’m building something… even if I fail, at least I tried, and I gave it my best.
To him, a traditional job felt limiting — “like a roof” capping potential. Business, on the other hand, has no ceiling. But also no safety net.
“I’m okay with that risk,” he said.
Work more meaningful when its not filtered, says power washing artist
Because his work is often unsanctioned, Marcus operates in a grey area — and he’s already had some run-ins with authorities.
“The most recent incident, I was stopped by a contractor, by a government agency, who told me this was not allowed,” he shared.
But he stands his ground carefully.
He avoids private property, steers clear of sensitive messages, and ensures his work benefits the surrounding community.
Source: @gazing.pw on Instagram
“Ultimately, it needs to benefit the community… such that there aren’t many complaints,” he said.
At the heart of it is a belief that the art should remain raw and unfiltered.
“I think it’s more meaningful that power washing art is something that is not filtered or controlled by the authorities, and it’s just from the artist,” Marcus told MS News.
Critics, vandalism, and persistence
Even so, not everyone sees his work as art.
“Many people have called it vandalism,” Marcus said.
Others dismiss it as fleeting, something people interact with once, then forget.
He listens selectively.
I want to say to my critics, thank you for your feedback… some of it I will actually learn from it and evolve my art.
That mindset led to bigger, more interactive installations — like turning a simple walkway into a full-fledged Snakes-and-Ladders game.
But even that wasn’t immune to setbacks.
This year, after setting up a giant game of Snakes and Ladders in Joo Chiat via power washing, the two large dice in the game was first vandalised before being stolen a few days later.
Source: @gazing.pw on Instagram
“What upset me the most was the fact that people thought it was okay to take the dice and just run away with it,” he said.
Still, he keeps going.
“I know that my community enjoys my art… and I also want to improve my art as well. So that’s why I keep going.”
Art for the community
Unlike traditional street art, Marcus’ work is designed to be used — not just seen.
“I didn’t want power washing art to be like a stop, take a picture, and then leave,” he said.
“I wanted people to make a memory in a space that previously meant nothing to them.”
That’s why many of his pieces are interactive, such as hopscotch grids, puzzles, and games.
And often, they’re completely free.
“This is unsanctioned,” he said. “It’s out of the love of my heart for the community.”
That love goes both ways. While working under the heat, strangers sometimes approach him with small gestures.
“They actually buy me bottles of water or even drinks to cool me off… and those ones, I appreciate extra.”
A disappearing canvas
Unlike murals or graffiti, power washing art is temporary.
Over time, dirt returns. The image fades.
But to Marcus, that’s part of the appeal.
“Six to nine months… maybe even a year down the road, the art will disappear,” he said. “And I can always do another concept.”
In a way, each piece is less about permanence, but more about the moment it creates.
It could be a pause in someone’s daily commute.
Or a child stopping to play, a stranger smiling at the ground.
For Marcus, that’s enough.
Because sometimes, all it takes to transform a space is a little pressure, and the willingness to see what’s already there.
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Featured image courtesy of Cassia Leong and Felicia Fun for MS News.
