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Little India station
Built in the heart of
Little India, the aptly named station is partially built
under the former Kandang Kerbau Hospital, a maternity
hospital where many Singaporeans
were born.
The station's entrances
and interiors were designed to reflect traditional Indian
influences, signifying the station's importance as a gateway
to Little India.
Construction of the
station was carefully planned and executed so as not to
disrupt business at the popular Tekka Centre nearby, famed
for having one of the biggest
markets in Singapore. Future commercial and residential
developments above and around the station are being planned.
This station will undoubtedly bring Little
India closer to the rest of Singapore.
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Inspired by Hindu icons
but not limited by them, S Chandrasekaran or Chandra, as he
is also known, is a versatile artist. His works are infused
with a raw, intense
energy and a refreshing candour that allows the artist to
explore themes like the human body, birth and conception,
sexuality, self knowledge and the
cosmos.
In a departure from his
usual forthright style, at Little India, Chandra gently
reprises symbols and rituals close to the heart of Singapore
Indians. Simplified and
contemporary, Chandra's works also speak to commuters from
all backgrounds.
The artist's works at
Little India station comprise floor works in bronze or
granite at concourse and platform levels, and ornate metal
grilles at the station entrances.
Thanks to the grilles, Little India is the only station
along the North East Line whose artworks are visible from
the streets.
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Inside the station, folk
art images, of a cow and her calf in one painting and of a
buffalo and two birds in another, are rendered in silkscreen
on vitreous enamel wall
panels. Columns at concourse level are
decorated with
symbols of plants and animals, denoting the link between man
and nature.
Chandra's works in bronze
are especially striking both for their simplicity and their
significance for Indians everywhere. Inspired by the
kolam patterns used
in traditional Indian floor art, Chandra has created
kolams whose stylised central motif is repeated and
modified throughout his works. The motif represents
Lord Shiva's third eye and stands for the values of wisdom
and insight.
The use of the third eye
also links the artist's works at Little India with his main
body of works, many of which explore the idea of simplifying
Indian icons,
or "archetypes" as the artist prefers to call them, and
reworking them in a contemporary context.
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The works on wall and
pillar panels serve as a visual tribute to Kandang
Kerbau,
the area around the station whose Malay name means "Buffalo
Stables".
The painting of a cow and
its calf refer to Kandang Kerbau Hospital, Singapore's
oldest and largest maternity hospital where generations of
Singaporeans including
the artist were born. The painting of the buffalo with two
birds resting on his back harks back to the stables around
Little India, where cows and buffalos brought in
from India were kept.
In these paintings, the
artist drew his inspiration from Rajasthani folk art, which
he studied while on a postgraduate programme in India. What
makes these paintings
his own however are their raw, simple lines and distorted
proportions which lend a combination of child-like charm and
a stylised abstraction to the work. The use of
sepia in the works at Little India also tie in with the use
of monochromes in earth tones in Chandra's other works.
After much discussion with
the LTA, the artist decided to build his work around the
theme of daily life and memories of the area. Chandra's
artworks are special
simply because they allow commuters to experience Little
India's unique identity within the context of a modern, MRT
station. From his bronze floor designs to his
silkscreened paintings and ornate metal grilles, the artist
has created works that blend in with the station's
surroundings while exulting in the rich cultural traditions of
Little India.
Artist:
S Chandrasekaran
Born: Singapore, 1959
Education:
- Diploma in Fine Arts, 1986
Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore
- Master of Arts (Distinction), 1996
Curtin University, Western Australia
next: Farrer Park station
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