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HarbourFront station
Anchored by the sea,
HarbourFront is the southern-most station along the North
East Line. The station's architecture stands out for its
distinct maritime theme
complemented by an open, nautical feel reminiscent of being
on the high seas. Soothing blue walls and ocean-themed
motifs greet commuters as they step into the
station. At concourse level, observant commuters will
notice
that the station's interior resembles a ship, visually
linking the station to its maritime
surroundings.
For the thousands who pass
through the adjacent HarbourFront Centre and Singapore
Cruise Centre daily, HarbourFront station is a welcome
direct link to other parts
of Singapore and the city. With provision for a link with
the future Circle Line, HarbourFront station promises to be
the hub for waterfront developments of the
future.
The design of HarbourFront
station marries the unchanging appeal of the sea with the
clarity of modern architecture. This distinctive maritime
identity serves as a
fitting backdrop for the minimalist works of contemporary
artist and painter Ian Woo.
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Ian's works comprise
abstract silkscreen images spread over 60 vitreous enamel
wall panels throughout the station. Picking up on the
maritime theme of the station's
architecture, his paintings depict nature, water and the
man-made including mechanical cranes and ships commonly
found at port.
Subtle yet evocative, the
organic shapes and clean lines of Ian's work incorporate
layers of expression that the viewer slowly discovers. When
commuters first set
eyes on his work, all they see are abstract images on blue.
Upon closer inspection, the works look more familiar, gently
leading commuters to wonder what they
are.
In developing his concept
for HarbourFront station, the artist walked around
HarbourFront Centre, the waterfront and surrounding areas,
taking photographs and
writing about the different sensations he experienced.
He then started working on
line drawings of his paintings that he subsequently
presented to the architects and the Art Review Panel for
approval. The bulk of the
work, including transforming the paintings to originals
one-third the size of the final artworks was done over an
intense two-week period in 2001.
The artist's black and
white originals were enlarged and coloured in blue at a
vitreous enamel factory in Wellingborough, England.
Ian and
fellow artist Chua Ek Kay,
whose artworks are at Clarke Quay station,
travelled with
the LTA team to the factory in England to oversee the
work.
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Notwithstanding the
production process, Ian's work retains a spontaneous,
dream-like quality, echoing the transience of water, travel
and voyages. The artist's
rational mind also lies behind the light, dream-like quality
of his work.
By allowing his works to
slowly seep into the consiousness of time-strapped
commuters, Ian has embraced one of the LTA's most
fundamental goals for the art
programme - to feature works with sufficent appeal and depth
to be appreciated over time. Where possible, the LTA wanted
the works to touch commuters in some
small way.
And the artist may well
have made the connection with commuters through an
interesting, if unexpected detail of his work. At
HarbourFront, a set of abstract
footprints adorn the end walls of the station platform. The
footprints feature the toes at one end of the station
platform and the heel of the foot at the other. Denoting
the beginning of a journey and its end, it adds a whimsical
flourish, and a gentle note of humour to the North East
Line.
Artist:
Ian Woo
Born: Singapore, 1967
Education:
- BA in Fine Art (Honours), 1994
Kent Institute of Art and Design, Canterbury, England
- MA Fine Art, Painting, 1995
Winchester School of Art, Winchester, England
next: Outram Park station
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