Joo Chiat / East Coast Street Art : Locations and Guide 2024 – TheWackyDuo.com

Katong is more than just good food and Peranakan Culture.

A walk around this idyllic neighbourhood will find old shophouses lining the
streets of East Coast and Joo Chiat Road, with a splatter of condominiums
and landed enclaves surrounding these picturesque streets.

To add flavour to your visit to this Katong district,  look for street
art or murals painted on shophouses, landed properties and back alleys.
While it may not be as well known as the street art of Georgetown, Penang, it does hold its own. The street arts Katong are commissioned mainly
by Katong Joo Chiat Art Circuit and some independent works. Sadly, the famous artwork by Ernest Zachervic
has disappeared, but new murals are popping up along Joo Chiat Road.

These are the main street art locations at Joo Chiat Road and East Coast
Road.

JOO CHIAT ROAD

1 anatomical Reverberation; Recollections of you from a
distance

Artist: Sop O  (2023)

Location: Wall of Shophouse on the side of Raffles Medical

471 Joo Chiat Rd Singapore 427680

Anatomical Reverberation, Recollection of You from a Distance

Sop O of Wayward Clouds created this vivid mural on the shophouse near
the junction of East Coast Road and Joo Chiat Road. It is an ambitious
painting combining familiar forms and patterns overlaying each other.
Some may see a horse, while others see mountains or flowers. You may be
correct, given its intended purposes encapsulate the different
experiences.

Cats Joo Chiat

Directly opposite ‘A History of Healing’ is a group of Cats mural known as
Jalan Jalan. Jalan Jalan celebrated Katong heritage through colours inspired
by Peranakan ceramics, with brightly coloured cats proudly wandering in this
estate.

Jalan Jalan Aston Specialities

One could have easily mistaken it for CATS, the musical commercial, as the
cats were painted in technicolour. If you look around Joo Chiat estate, it
would be easy to spot a cat or two roaming the streets. Having a dedicated
mural is apt in this location.

3 A History of Healing 

Artist: Tell Your Children (2019)

Location: ScanTeak Building Wall facing carpark

341 Joo Chiat Rd Singapore 427593

A History of Healing

Head down the road towards East Coast Road and see a Scanteak building. Go
to the carpark next to it, and you will be greeted by a giant mural that
spans the whole building. 

The artwork is named A History of Healing. It is linked to what this building used to house. In the past, this was
a very distinct red building that housed the Joo Chiat Maternal and Child
Health Clinic, established in 1907. It was initially set up to deal with
the high mortality rate in Singapore during that period. After the wall,
the clinic shifted to cater to the nation’s general public affected by the
Japanese Occupation.

4 Ghost of Rumah Katong 
Artist: Ink & Clog (2021)
Location: Braseiro Resturant Wall
333 Joo Chiat Road S
427604

Ghost of Rumah Katong

Initially, we thought the Ferryman (name on the mural) was a new pub or
restaurant. 

The Phoenix is located on a minor road off Joo Chiat Road. It pays homage to
the Phoenix, often used as an auspicious motif by the Peranakans. It
represents the continuance of life in the flames of change.

6 The Dog
Artist – Unknown
Location: 241 Joo Chiat Rd, Singapore 427498

The origin of this mural is a mystery to us. However, the shop on which the
wall was painted is called wag-a-tail, where you can adopt puppies. They may be related.

This is a new mural for 2024. The mural commemorates the Tom and Jerry
series set in Singapore and references local and Peranakan Culture.

8 Kway Guan Huat  Joo Chiat Popiah 
Artist: Jaxton Su (2019)
Location: 95 Joo Chiat Road Singapore 427389

Start your Street Art journey at Kway Guan Huat Popiah. This stall has been
around since 1938, making Popiah and Kueh Pie Tee.  

There are 3 murals by Jaxton Su on the right and left sides of the shop.

Kway Guan Huat

The left showed an elderly and a child making popiah the traditional way
with another child hidden at the side, while the right showed a street
hawker of yesteryears.

Kway Guan Huat

8 The Great Wave ( UInder the Wave off Kanagawa)

Artist: Unknown
Location: 95 Joo Chiat Road Singapore 427389

10 High Tide 
Artist : Helen Le Chatelier & Christine Chia (2019)
Location: 1 Koon Seng Road, alley next to the colourful Peranakan
Houses

High Tide Koon Seng Road

Next, head to the famous colourful Peranakan houses along Koon Seng
Road. 

Tucked away in an alley is a wall of art by Helen Le Chatelier with poems by Christine Chia.

High Tide

.

The artwork was named High Tide to reflect the flooding that once plagued
this area.

High Tide

As a bonus, you can take Instagram-worthy photos of colourful Peranakan
houses.

11 Kampung Singapore
Artist: Unknown
Location: ABC Nasi Kandar 44 Changi Road S427604

Kampung Singapore

Tucked in an alley leading to the Joo Chiat Complex, this wall mural
depicts life in the old Kampung. We could not find any tag to
identify the artist.

Kampung Mural

12 Home Grown
Artist: Ink & Clog (202)
Location: 1 Joo Chiat Rd, S 420001
Joo Chiat Complex,
next to Joo Chiat Foodcourt

Home Grown

This is supposed to be inside a shophouse. The telltale sign would be
the window to the right of the painting. It’s located next to Joo
Chiat Food Court.

EAST COAST ROAD

13 Rumah Bebe Dancing Peranakan Ladies
Artist: Unknown
Location: 113 East Coast Road

Behind Rumah Bebe, access through a side road next to AlibabaR Hawker
Bar or alley along East Coast Road next to Kim Choo Kueh Chang.

Rumah Bebe

The next destination is along East Coast Road. Before you reach it, turn
onto the minor road next to AlibabaR Hawker Bar, where you will find a
handful of street art behind the row of shophouses.

Rumah Bebe

The first that caught our eye was a mural featuring dancing
Peranakans. Unfortunately, there is no description of who the artist
is, but it is an interesting art paying homage to its roots.

14 Dumpling Girl 
Artist: Dyn (2019)
Location: 111 East Coast Road

Behind Rumah Kim Choo, access through a side road next to AlibabaR
Hawker Bar or an alley along East Coast Road next to Kim Choo Kueh
Chang.

Dumpling Girl

Fly up with Dumpling Ballons. This mural is located next to the Dancing
Peranakan and behind Kim Choo, which is famous for its dumplings. It features a lady in Peranakan Gear floating
in the air with Dumpling Ballons.

You could see the floating effect when viewed from a certain angle.

15 #MedleyAlley 
Artist :Nicia Lam, Valerie Neo, Novena Angela, Yullis
Lam(2019)
Location: 111 East Coast Road

Beside Kim Choo Kueh Chang, access through the side road next to
AlibabaR Hawker Bar or an alley along East Coast Road next to Kim Choo
Kueh Chang.

Medley Alley East Coast Road

Just a few steps away, you will reach Medley Alley. It’s a narrow
alley leading up to the main road – East Coast Road. It is coated in bright
yellow and has a pair of wings covered with mosaics. 

Medley Alley East Coast Road

The wings are more apparent if the view is from East Coast Road. The
mural is created by a team of 4 comprising Nicia Lam, Valerie Neo,
Novena Angela, and Yullis Lam.

Medley Alley East Coast Road

While you are there, do pop into Rumah Bebe to check out the mini Peranakan Music. Then, have a bite
of Kim Choo Kueh Chang before you continue your journey.

Rumah Bebe

16 Turtle Cape 
Artist: Ink &  Clog (2019)
Location: 152 East Coast Road S428855
Building next to
Mount Pleasant Veterinary Center

Turtle Cove

Your next stop is a short walk away. Cross the other side of the road
and head towards Mount Pleasant Veterinary Center. Here, you will see a
large Turtle swimming on a blue wall. It is a nod to neighbouring
Tanjong Katong, Malay, for Turtle Point. The name Katong was also
derived from a Javanese word for the leatherback turtle. Before the
land reclamation, this area was close to the sea. So, it would not be
surprising to see turtles coming to the shores to lay their eggs here.

Turtle Cove

17 Children and Cat
Artist: Alvin Mak
Location: 208 East Coast Road, S428907
Katong Antique
House

Children and Cat

Blink, and you may miss this realistic portrayal of a pair of children
playing and a cat on the other side. Of the door, This mural gives out
similar vibes to the ones in Georgetown, Penang, where playing
children are depicted in the murals.

The mural is by local artist Alvin Mak and was commissioned by Katong
Antique House.

You can check out the entire painting process in this video.

18 Katong Antique House

Artist: Alvin Mak

Location: 208 East Coast Road, S428907

Katong Antique House

Artist Alvin Mak has another Mural on the backside of Katong
Antique House. This is only visible in the back alley.

There are 2 scenes in this mural. One depicts a dumpling
seller, and the other a clog maker. A cat, a common sight in
Katong, is painted on the mural, too.

19 Chin Mee Chin Logo

Artist: Unknown (2021)

Location: 204 East Coast Road, S428903

The side wall of Chin Mee Chin

This is the Chin Mee Chin Logo. While it may not be your usual
street art, it is still iconic enough to warrant an Instagram photo.

20 Ikan Kurau 
Artist: Unknown 2021
Location:  213 East Coast Road
7-Eleven

Ikan Kurau

The Ikan Kurau or Indian threadfin is common in local Chinese, Malay,
Indian and Eurasian cuisines. This mural, together with the Katong
turtle mural, is a reminder of the state of the oceans today.

TANJONG KATONG ROAD

21 Animals for Life
Artist: Oak  & Bindi ( 2020)
Location: 330 Tanjong Katong Road, S 437106
Vets for Life
Branksome Road 

Animals are a favourite theme along Tanjong Katong Road. However, this
animal mural is posited just next to a vet clinic; how cliche!

22 Sunbird

Artist: Kiat 

Location: 190 Tanjong Katong Road, S 436992

Wareham Road, Teo Hin Tyres

This sunbird sits on the wall on the side of the tyre shop. The floral
display in front adds some depth to this mural.

Located a street away is the hummingbird by the same artist. Unfortunately,
he had mistaken the sunbird for the hummingbird during the painting process.
In the end, he decided to paint both separately. Unfortunately, this mural
is now partially blocked. 

23 The Good Garden
Artist: Miyuki Soh (2019)
Location: 90 Goodman Road
S 439053
Goodman Art Center

Goodman Arts Centre is home to the National Arts Council and has a few murals on the centre grounds. The Good Garden is one of them.

24 Unkowm
Artist: Danielle Tay (2020)
Location: 90 Goodman
Road
Goodman Art Center

There is another mural opposite ‘The Good Garden.’