In the pristine streets of Singapore, vibrant murals and street art add character and breathe life into neighbourhoods.
If you’ve been to Chinatown recently and walked along the alley near Temple Street, you might have come across a stunning new 3-storey high mural.
The artist behind this epic work is Singaporean mural painter Yip Yew Chong, who spent 24 days – rain or shine – completing the gigantic masterpiece.
For the 52-year-old who grew up in Chinatown, the detailed mural is a recollection of his childhood days. He even illustrated his mother.
Walking by Temple Street in Chinatown, it’ll be hard to miss the epic mural.
The first thing to catch one’s attention is probably the uncle pouring tea down from the 3rd storey window.
As one gets closer, they’ll find themselves transported to a coffee shop scene set in the olden days.
Each character depicted will bring back memories for many who lived through those times — like this uncle who props his feet up while sipping his kopi O.
And another uncle puffing away in the coffee shop over breakfast.
And, of course, the people who are a quintessential part of our hawker culture—the kopi uncle busying himself and the auntie operating her stall diligently.
The coffee shop is also nestled amongst a lively marketplace, with the mural stretching across the walls of the alley.
After many rounds of corrections, redos, and adding details, the masterpiece was completed at the end of November by 52-year-old self-taught mural painter Yip Yew Chong.
In total, he took 24 days to complete the colossal painting, turning up even on rainy days to work on it.
And the weather during this rainy season was challenging for him.
Some days, he’ll have to stop work and wait for the rain to pass before he could continue, lest the fresh paint is washed away and ruined.
But Mr Yip gave his all for this project, which pays homage to the olden day Chinatown, where he grew up.
In his Instagram post, Mr Yip shared that he even painted his mum, twice, into the mural.
But thankfully, Mr Yip did not go through this journey alone.
Throughout the days of painting the mural, many dropped by, mesmerised as they watched him at work.
Some kind supporters even brought him snacks and drinks to keep him going.
Along the way, passers-by also had fun interacting with his detailed artwork, posing for photos.
Kudos to Mr Yip for his arduous efforts in perfecting the mural that beautifies the alley and celebrates our past.
His paintings will undoubtedly bring joy and fun to those who walk by the area for many years to come.
If you’d like to drop by and check out the mural for yourself, it is located in a side alley off Temple Street. Remember to look out for the uncle pouring hot tea from the 3rd floor!
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Featured image adapted from Singapore City Walks on YouTube and yipyewchong on Instagram.
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