8/29/2023 0 Comments Charles and keith paya lebarIt turned out that Bill and my father guessed right.ĭeputy Prime Minister Toh Chin Chye (left) with William P. They guessed that the judging panel, led by Cathay Organisation head Loke Wan Tho, would comprise people from Singapore and Malaysia, and figured that these judges would likely have their preferences when it came to what would be considered as suitable designs for the new passenger terminal building. They believed, probably rightly, that the chances of winning at least one prize would be higher by submitting two separate designs each. They were not sure if the organisers would prefer a design focusing on Singapore or Malaysia, especially as this contest was being held in the months leading up to the formation of the Federation of Malaysia in September 1963. Submitting separate designs to represent Singapore and Malaysia was a strategic decision on the part of both men. Unfortunately, my father cannot remember the details of this design, which is a shame given its intriguing title. This design was eventually not selected and was returned to my father. My father’s second design was titled “Some Fascinating Eating Manners of Singaporeans”. “If Bill can submit two designs, so can I,” he told me.īoth men submitted two designs each, one portraying Singapore and the other Malaysia. When my father found out that Bill was planning to submit two designs, he decided he would do the same. When Bill and my father heard about the competition, they decided separately that they would take part but did not discuss their designs with each other. Bill was very particular and pushed my father and his colleagues hard at work, but they learned a lot from him as my father recalls. My father was already working in Papineau when Bill joined, and regards Bill as his mentor and friend. He was hired as a visualiser and was promoted to art director after six months. He left Singapore a year later after completing his national service before returning in 1960 to work in Papineau Advertising. He was based at Gillman Barracks doing cartographic work. 4īill first came to Singapore in 1957 as a soldier during his national service. My father had taken part in other competitions before, winning a poster competition on diphtheria in 1959 and later coming in second place in a poster competition for the National Language campaign organised by The Straits Times in 1964. He briefly joined The Straits Times as an apprentice artist before moving to Papineau Advertising as they were looking for someone who could write Jawi in a calligraphic style. Born in Singapore in 1933, he started out as a peon (office boy) in the Commissioner-General Office but realised advancement prospects were limited and that he was capable of more. My father and Bill were 30 and 26 years old respectively when they won the mural design competition. My father, a commercial artist, and Mundy (Bill as he prefers to be called) were colleagues at Papineau Advertising during the 1960s where Bill was the art director. This mural and the one above are no longer intact. “Cultural Dances of Malaysia” was designed by Shamsuddin H. 1 Each of the five winning designs would receive a cash prize of $2,000. On 1 October 1962, a small notice published in The Straits Times invited artists to “submit designs for suitable murals which will be executed at five places in the Passenger Terminal Building of the Singapore Airport”. In a presumed effort to add a dash of colour to this new building, the government decided that large murals would adorn its walls. It was completed in April 1964 at a cost of $3.5 million. In November 1962, work began on a new International Passenger Terminal Building. However, as Singapore grew in importance as an air hub and a destination in its own right, further expansion was necessary to cope with the increasing number of passengers using the airport. Opened in 1955, Paya Lebar Airport was Singapore’s gateway to the world and one of the most modern airports of its time. Photo by Darren Soh, 2008.īefore Changi Airport, there was Paya Lebar Airport. Detail from the “Skyline of Singapore” mural by William P.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |