SINGAPORE, Jan 23, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - In Singapore, where graffiti is banned,
young creatives have taken over an abandoned mall, spray painting colourful
murals and holding art workshops to bring the space back to life.

Around half a century old, Peace Centre is scheduled to face the wrecking
ball later this year, but fans say it has provided a rare space for self-
expression.

Permission from authorities is required for any kind of street art in the
Southeast Asian country.

In August last year, PlayPan, an initiative co-founded by entrepreneur Gary
Hong, convinced developers to postpone the mall's demolition.

The answer the initiative's backers received was that they could go ahead and
use the space for "a social experiment to bring (the) community together",
Hong told AFP.

They were given the space to host performances and workshops for several
months, allowing artists, students, charities and small businesses to set up
shop for free or at heavily discounted rates.

The eclectic mix of pop-up stores, art tours and musical performances has
transformed the once lacklustre mall into an unexpected art haven.

At the end of January, however, the mall will close definitively, bringing an
end to the art project.

Peace Centre was once a popular mall but lost its shine to glitzier shopping
centres that mushroomed over recent years.

In the last two decades it was mostly known for its printing shops and seedy
karaoke lounges.

Since its revamp into an art space, young people have attended graffiti
workshops, colouring shuttered shopfronts with spray cans while punters
browsed through second-hand clothing stalls and exhibits.

"It's not something you do on a normal weekend, less so inside an indoor
area, in a mall," said Darryl Poh, a 29-year-old sales trader who took part
in a spray-painting workshop.

- 'Very organic' -

The bathroom walls and mirrors were splattered with graffiti, while a Rage
Against the Machine song blared from one of the pop-up stores.

Craft cocktails were served on the ground floor and nearby, death metal CDs
and trinkets were on sale.

Such spaces are uncommon in Singapore, a top financial hub in Asia.

"I think you just got to know where to look. The government can curate
things, but people are still going to do their own thing," said Ning Fei, 34,
who was selling typewritten poems.

The outer walls were plastered with flyers advertising activities from
ukulele classes to pebble painting, while a futuristic mural welcomed
visitors arriving at the main entrance.

Gabriel, a 43-year-old photographer who asked to be identified only by his
first name, set up a booth to take portraits of passersby for charity.

"The energy here was really exciting. There were a lot of things you don't
typically see in Singapore malls," he told AFP, describing the vibe as "very
non-Singaporean, very organic".

"I'm going to miss this community very much. I'm glad to have plugged in and
participated in this swan song."