Water Paintings
Atelier HOKO
Neighbourhood: Punggol

From our studio window, we overlook a canal linking the reservoir to the waterway. Each day, many pass along its tree-lined walkway—strolling, jogging, skating, cycling—some charmed by its calm, others find it too bloody hot. From the footpath, we can peer into the canal and spot the frequent ripples on the surface of the murky water. Occasionally a terrapin pokes its head through and greets the air. Pleasant as these moments are, we find ourselves more attracted to the marks on the canal wall.

To most, these chaotic patches on the wall are nothing more than stains and mould but to us, these quiet time-bound markings stirs an urgency to record them—before the day a “concerned” citizen demands their removal, erasing these accidental paintings in the name of cleanliness.

173 “water paintings” lining the west-facing wall of the canal were photographed and indexed as they are—marks produced by moisture, climate and time—before they disappear.

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BACKYARD explores the phenomenon of how events become news. This collection of reports seeks to create a spatial tapestry of “news” contributed by artists living in different parts of Singapore. By inviting them to document the happenings within their neighbourhoods within specific windows of time, BACKYARD presents artists’ documentations as news reports spanning across 12 months. Each report contributes to a year-long narrative map of Singapore, positioning the artist as reporter. BACKYARD is an art space that takes place in the form of dossiers containing news reports by Singapore based artists.