Mention Instagrammable street murals in Singapore and this colourful alleyway in Keong Saik comes to mind. Those joyful, whimsical swirls have brightened up the lane since 2016, when Ripple Root, comprising homegrown artists Liquan Liew, 33, and Estella Ng, 28, left their mark here (quite literally). And thanks to the rise and rise of Instagram, their larger-than-life Keong Saik piece, commissioned by The Working Capitol, has become the duo’s most recognisable work, what with Insta-loving Singaporeans and tourists alike flocking here just for a photo, or five.

Fast forward three years later, and Ripple Root’s murals are now peppered all over the island, both in- and outdoors, including their upcoming solo exhibition at the Yang Gallery at Hilton Hotel, titled ‘Raffles, Pineapples, and The Swamp’ (aptly, it opens on Aug 8, a day before National Day).

If you’re in the mood for an art walk, or are just in need of a new Instagrammable backdrop for your feed, scroll on to get the lowdown on where to find Ripple Root works in Singapore, as well as our chat with the artists.

EXHIBITION

At their solo exhibition, ‘Raffles, Pineapples and The Swamp’. From Aug 8-31. #01-11 The Shopping Gallery Hilton, 581 Orchard Rd. Open Mon-Sat at 10am to 7pm (excluding public holidays).

OUTDOOR MURALS

Alley between 1 Keong Saik Road and 3 Keong Saik Road, just past Don Ho Social Kitchen and Bar.

In front of Bank of Singapore (63 Market St). Commissioned by Capitaland.

At the junction of Tanjong Pagar Road and Murray St. Commissioned by 8M Real Estate.

EATERIES ​​​​​​​

At Straits Clan, 31 Bukit Pasoh Road

52 Kandahar Street

10 Jiak Chuan Road
Photo: Bar Cicheti

#01-15 Kinesis, 4 Fusionopolis Way
Photo: One Man Coffee

#02-49 Marina Square, 6 Raffles Boulevard

#01-04 Customs House, 70 Collyer Quay

#01-92 Millenia Walk, 9 Raffles Boulevard

OTHERS ​​​​​​​

B1-67 Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Avenue

SHOPS

Changi Airport Terminal 4

8DAYS: How did Ripple Root come about?
ESTELLA: We met at a design agency and worked on projects together. On weekends, we would paint for fun in my living room, and soon, we had enough paintings to put on a show, which did really well —almost all the pieces were sold. This in part gave us the confidence to do this full-time. But we’ve always been on the exact wavelength since we met so it’s only natural that I’m doing Ripple Root with my ‘art twin’.
LIQUAN: It was kind of spur-of-the-moment and organic, the decision to do it full-time, and we haven’t looked back since. We’ve always believed in the magic that happens when we work on something together, and even until now, five years later, it still is very much about this shared vision.

​​​​​​​How did you come up with the moniker Ripple Root?
L: Estella’s ‘Ripple’, I’m ‘Root’ – given the nature of our personalities. This is also how we sign all our paintings. Estella’s more spontaneous, lively, and I’m more steady and calm. We love the idea of duality.
E: And this is also applicable to our work. The pieces are always rippling, the strokes are never static. But there’s also a certain calmness to the elements, set in a particular context. In the wall murals, we always make sure to ‘let the wall breathe’ — we don’t use a projector. We treat the wall like how we would a painting on canvas. There’s a positive, upbeat energy. You’ll just know right away when it’s a Ripple Root painting.

​​​​​​​What’s the creative process like for you?
L: When it’s a commission or commercial project we always create a sketch to let the client in on our vision. When it comes to personal work, there is hardly any planning. We start on two canvases, one each, always in the same room and then continuously swap. Like playing a game of tag, we take turns to add onto each other’s interpretation until the work ‘complete’. There is complete synchronicity and you can’t tell who did what when you look at the finished product.
E: We like the balance of commercial and personal work — both inspire us equally. We always try to take the personal work outside of Singapore — we just did a show and mural in Sydney in March. [For commercial work], it takes about a week or so to complete a mural after the sketch has been approved. The Keong Saik alley probably took the longest, given the scale-having two long walls facing each other. It was our first time on a boom lift!

​​​​​​​Which was the first piece you completed, and what was it like working on that?
L: The first mural was done at One Man Coffee at Fusionopolis Two. We had branded it and it was interesting applying those uniquely ‘One Man’ colours into the space as art. We completed it in 2015 when Instagram still hadn’t really blown up like it has now, so it was really the start of something for us.

​​​​​​​How does it feel to have your work be the backdrop of so many Instagrams?
E: I like how we’re leaving an actual mark on Singapore’s landscape. International visitors get to see Singapore through the lens of Art. It’s opened up many narratives for us. For example, the creative director of [tech MNC] Zendesk, who’s based in London, snapped a picture of our Keong Saik wall when he was visiting Singapore, and that’s how we ended up working on their new office at Marina One.
L: It’s an affirming response, to have people receive it well and have people from all walks of life gravitate towards a piece of art. To snap a picture shows they are paying attention. That the art is not being ignored. We’ve always wanted the work to spread a sense of positivity and we’re happy when this vision gets translated.

‘Raffles, Pineapples and The Swamp’ is on from Aug 8-31, at #01-11 The Shopping Gallery Hilton, 581 Orchard Rd. Open Mon-Sat at 10am to 7pm (excluding public holidays).

PHOTOS: Ripple Root