An Insider's Look: Monetary Authority of Singapore

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has undergone a revamp of its 29th floor - the office space of its highest office holders. The Artling was appointed to curate the artworks for this project, working closely with designers and branding specialists, &Larry, to create a space befitting Singapore’s central bank.

Project Information

Location: Singapore
Client: Monetary Authority of Singapore
Project Type: Corporate
Project Scope: Office space
Services Provided: Art Consultancy
Branding & Spatial Consultant: &Larry
Status: Completed
Artling Project Team: Kim Tay, Madi Amin
Year Completed: 2024

&Larry was selected by MAS in 2021 as the lead consultant for this project, overseeing the designing and building phases. As the selected art consultancy, The Artling team engaged directly with &Larry in curating the artworks for this project, ensuring that each artist and artwork aligned with the project's overall vision and aesthetic.

The Artling team worked with established local artists to commission new pieces that would complement selections from its existing collection. A blending of old and new, these works reflect MAS's vision for the future while honoring the lessons of the past.

The existing collection includes works from some of Singapore's leading artists, showcasing MAS's long standing support of the local arts. At the same time, the new commissioned pieces have invigorated the office space, creating a fresh experience for both visitors and staff.

Some of the artists commissioned for new works are Aaron Gan, Hong Sek Chern, Suzann Victor, Wyn-Lyn Tan and Zen Teh. This group of artists is diverse in their practices, specializing in mediums ranging from ink paintings to mixed media and sculptural pieces.

For a striking first impression at the lift lobby entrance, the wall at the opposite end glimmers with a commissioned artwork by Singapore-born artist Suzann Victor. In this piece, River of Flowing Histories, the artist uses found historical images, arranged into a collage with Fresnel lenses overlaid to create an intriguing crystal-like display.

The artwork pays homage to Singapore’s pioneer generation for their contributions to the country's transformation from an 18th century seaport to an economic powerhouse. Set against the backdrop of the iconic Singapore River, the artwork underscores the importance of trade and commerce in Singapore's financial success.

The mosaic of circular Fresnel lenses adds another dimension by magnifying portions to allow viewers to focus on various details like images of Singapore's multi-cultural history.

Victor was the first female artist to represent Singapore at the 49th Venice Biennale in 2001, and has exhibited in numerous other Biennales all over the world. She creates installations that explore human sensory experiences using materials like light, water and body elements, along with science and engineering to transform spaces into immersive environments.

At the expanded holding area, two commissioned paintings by established local artist Aaron Gan, Lotus - Inspiration and Lotus - Harmony, hang on the walls, complementing the custom benches and sofas.

These paintings hold deep significance, as lotuses are seen as symbols of purity, returning to the murky water each evening only to bloom at the break of day. They also represent strength and resilience—qualities that MAS deeply values.

The two works form a coherent pair: Lotus - Inspiration featuring a single lotus bud about to bloom, symbolizing individuals entering the meeting room with a single idea, while, Lotus - Harmony depicts multiple lotus buds blooming, representing the blossoming of ideas and the opening of minds after discussions.

Gan is a Singapore-based artist who holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Western Australia. He started painting full-time after joining the Singapore Watercolour Society in 2012 and is also a member of the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts Club and Singapore Art Society.

A winner of the UOB Painting of the Year Award in 2015, he is a self-taught watercolorist renowned for his passion for landscapes. His works draw from both Chinese and Western painting aesthetics, skilfully blending Western watercolor techniques with Chinese composition. Driven by a quest for new and innovative methods in watercolor, he continually seeks to expand the boundaries of his artistic expression.

In the Conference Room, adjacent to the Holding Area, hangs The Land and the Clouds, a collage by Goh Beng Kwan, a prized piece from MAS’s existing collection. A winner of the Cultural Medallion for Visual Arts in 1989 and UOB Painting of the Year in 1982, Goh was taught by Singapore's revered pioneer artists Chen Wen Hsi and Cheong Soo Pieng.

Gan and Goh’s works complement each other by blending contemporary expression with deep cultural symbolism. Gan’s depiction of the lotus, a symbol of renewal and perseverance, aligns with MAS's forward-looking vision, while the timeless quality of Land of the Clouds evokes a sense of heritage. Together, these works reflect MAS’s commitment to embracing the future while honoring its foundational past.

Next to the Conference room is the redesigned Boardroom, featuring an updated color scheme. A semi-abstract painting by local artist Hong Sek Chern, depicting Singapore’s iconic buildings and landmarks, was commissioned to harmonize with the new design.

In Walking in the City, Hong uses ink and color splashes on unprimed rice paper, with sections of the scene traced using calligraphic strokes. The composition draws from traditional Chinese ink landscapes, incorporating a multi-perspective view, known as the "three distances"—aerial, central, and elevation—within a single plane.

The artist's process is spontaneous, with each brush stroke reacting to the ones before it. By using a brush loaded with pigment and water, she softens the sharp edges of the buildings, giving them a wet and luscious appearance.

Hong is a highly acclaimed third-generation artist and multi-award winner known for her unique pictorial style. Her unconventional depictions of landscapes and urbanscapes in traditional Chinese ink reflect local architecture through multi-point perspectives. Her works often incorporate a masterful interplay of architectural blocks and lines, merging and juxtaposing city structures that sometimes collapse into one another.

She has represented Singapore at the 25th São Paulo Biennale in Brazil, and her works are part of the collections at the Singapore Art Museum, Taipei Fine Art Museum, and National Arts Council Singapore, as well as other institutions and private collectors. Additionally, she served as the Head of Diploma in Fine Art program at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in Singapore from 2004 to 2006.

The newly widened passageway from the Foyer to the Visitor Room now allows visitors to admire the paintings on the walls. On the left is a triptych of etched brass artworks, Panoramic Fragments V, depicting abstract landscapes. A collaboration between local artists, Wyn-Lyn Tan and Zen Teh, their works were chosen to demonstrate MAS’s support for local artists while also presenting a more non-traditional aspect of its public identity.

The two artists combined their different image-making techniques to create 12 compositions on brass sheets. These pieces represent their ideas of space and imagination in today's world, incorporating both their styles into a shared visual expression.

While Teh used photographic references and transformed them through digital processes, painterly touches and surface distressing, Tan applied corrosives in bold strokes, creating unexpected chemical processes that alter the brass surface.

Trained in traditional Chinese ink painting and Western painting, Tan's visual vocabulary often straddles the line between East and West. Her abstract contemporary paintings are inspired by traditional shanshui hua (山 水画) landscapes, with an extensive use of water in her painting process. Tan's works are part of the permanent collection at the Singapore Art Museum and have been exhibited internationally.

Teh is an artist and educator interested in how people interact with nature. Her work is influenced by her skills in photography and painting, as well as her exploration of urbanization and the impact of human activity on the natural environment. She has won multiple awards and exhibited her works in both group and solo shows in Singapore and the region.

Watercolor Masterpieces
At the end of the passageway is MAS’s Visitor Room where three watercolor paintings from their existing collection by Ong Soo Keat—Tailorbird, White-Bellied Sea Eagle and Brahminy Kite—are on display. White-Bellied Sea Eagle was the inspiration for the illustration featured on the $10,000 note in Singapore’s ‘Bird Series’ currency notes, which were in circulation from 1976 to 1984.

Born in Penang, Malaysia, in 1941, Ong Soo Keat is an avid nature lover whose works predominantly feature birds in their natural habitat, as well as other animals. In addition to holding numerous group and solo exhibitions, Ong was invited to participate in the Tryon Gallery's London Group Exhibition, Painting of Endangered Species, in 1975. His paintings have also been used in the designs of several Malaysian Postal stamps.

About the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS)
The MAS building is located at 10 Shenton Way in Singapore’s Central Business District, the hub of the country's financial and banking sector.

MAS serves as the nation's central bank and integrated financial regulator. As the central bank, MAS aims to support steady, non-inflationary economic growth by managing monetary policy and closely monitoring the economy. It is also responsible for overseeing Singapore’s exchange rate, managing the country's official foreign reserves, and ensuring adequate liquidity in the banking sector.

As Singapore’s integrated financial regulator, MAS ensures stability within the financial services sector by regulating the country’s financial institutions, including banks, insurers, and stock exchanges. It also focuses on maintaining well-functioning financial markets, promoting responsible conduct, and providing financial education to investors.

The Artling is thankful to &Larry and the participating artists for the opportunity to curate the artworks for this special project.

To read about more of our projects, click here.