Mbs/ Mrt

Marina Bay Sands (MBS) is an integrated resort fronting Marina Bay in Singapore. At its opening in 2010, it was deemed the world’s most expensive standalone casino property at S$8 billion. Locally, MBS is known as the place to indulge in top shopping, dining and recreational experiences. The building design is inspired by a deck of cards; two playing cards are leaned against each other to form a triangle and a flat of one’s hand is placed which exerts a little pressure, leading to bending the card inwards.

The 57-storey towers host a hotel, a 340-metre-long rooftop terrace, and a 151-metre long swimming pool. “As part of the continuous necklace of activities surrounding Marina Bay, the complex forms a gateway to the city. Seen from ships anchored at sea, the two windows created by the towers and sky park frame the vistas towards downtown Singapore.”

Personally, I like MBS’s view, its outline, the amazing view from atop, and the way its faces both the city and the sky. It is not however my favourite place, as I cherish actual historical and cultural buildings.

In just five decades, Singapore has emerged as one of the world’s most progressive economies. I decided to create this artwork to acquaint you with the majesty of the City-State, highlighting the Central Business District (CBD) and MBS with gold leaves and texture paper.

I represented the sun as a Singapore S$1 coin because the $1 coin is known for its positive and prosperous shape. Why ? Because Singapore’s one-dollar coin is enscribed with an octagon shape which looks like the Chinese ba gua. The ba gua, which literally translates to ‘eight areas’, represents eight symbols commonly used in Taoist cosmology. An urban legend says that Lee Kuan Yew consulted a feng shui master who said that the construction of MRT tunnels would bring bad feng shui. So in order to circumvent that, every Singaporean would need to have a ba gua displayed; and the $1 coin was brilliantly designed to please everyone, regarldess of their religion.

The second Artwork represents the MRT and its connections, used by millions of people everyday, to go to work. with long corridors and deep staircases, can feel the energy of the business and activities.