Taman Jurong and Bedok residents make art to celebrate National Day

Residents in Taman Jurong joined Jurong GRC Member of Parliament and Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam in adding colour and finishing touches to 12 pieces of furniture that will be placed in the neighbourhood's community centre.

Called "POPcubes", these items of furniture are brightly coloured and include paintings of items commonly seen in HDB town centres.

Residents joined in the decoration of the POPcubes at two events on Saturday - Colours of Taman Jurong and Bedok PAssionArts Kaleidoscope 4.

Both events were part of the PAssionArts Festival 2016, a nationwide community arts festival organised by the People's Association and Community Arts and Culture Clubs.

COLOURFUL: Titled ‘Colours in Harmony’, five plywood sculptures had paint poured over them, creating a multicolored display that will be placed around Bedok. TNP PHOTO: JEREMY LONG

Its aim is to encourage residents and young people to use arts to celebrate National Day and build a stronger national identity.

Fifty-eight festivals are held throughout the island over seven weeks.

FUN: The ‘Doodling Mural Wall’, which Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam and residents doodled on, will become a fixture in the Taman Jurong community space. TNP PHOTO: JEREMY LONG FUN: Madam Chaw, 68, uses crystal beads to make a flower. TNP PHOTO: JEREMY LONG HAPPY: Housewife Nguyen Thi Hieu (in black), 32, and her four-yearold daughter Joanna Wey, paint one of the POPcubes at Colours of Taman Jurong. TNP PHOTO: JEREMY LONG   TOGETHER: Madam Leong Seow Ling with her husband at the scratch art booth. TNP PHOTO: JEREMY LONG   HAPPY: Bedok PAssionArts Kaleidoscope 4 displayed 60 Chinese brush paintings from local artists of the Bedok Sunflower Residents Committee. TNP PHOTO: JEREMY LONG   BRIGHT: Titled ‘Towards a Brighter Singapore: Stars and Moons!’, this glow-in-the-dark sky art was cocreated by local artist Sha and Bedok residents. TNP PHOTO: JEREMY LONG

The organising chairman for Saturday's events, Ms Nur Aqilah Johari, 26, told The New Paper: "Since two months ago, we started to paint colourful backgrounds on the furniture boxes and illustrated things that we see around the void deck, like staircases. Things like these seems so mundane, but we try to beautify it with colours.

"This event is a platform for us to meet and mingle. I didn't expect so many people to come, but I'm glad the turnout is so good."

Residents of all ages also got to try their hands at freestyle doodling, scratch art, calligraphy, blow ink art, flower bead making and clay leaf painting.

Ms Nguyen Thi Hieu, 33, a housewife, said: "I've been coming to this event for a few years already. I like the arts and it's quite interesting. I want my daughter to enjoy herself and learn something new, too."

Over at Bedok, paint splatters mixed and spiralled into a sea of rainbow colours on five plywood sculptures, entitled "Colours in Harmony".

East Coast GRC Member of Parliament Lim Swee Say, also unveiled an inaugural glow-in-the-dark sky art co-created by local artist Sha and Bedok residents, titled "Towards a Brighter Singapore: Stars and Moons!".

Various dance performances entertained seated residents while those who wished to mingle walked through the exhibition area, which featured 60 Chinese brush paintings from local artists of the Bedok Sunflower Residents Committee and 20 artworks from students of Temasek Secondary School.

Similar festivals will be held at other neighbourhoods till July 31.

For more information on events, visit www.facebook.com/PAssionArtsSG