The Inimitable Work of Phunk, Singapore.
The British Magazine, Creative Review has called Phunk “The Champion of Singapore’s Graphic Scene”.
The Singapore-based art and design collective PHUNK is comprised of Singaporean artists and designers: Alvin Tan, Melvin Chee, Jackson Tan and William Chan.
The group formed in 1994 and their work continues to be seen in Singapore and across Asia. What strikes me most about their work is the unmistakeable Phunk style — bold black lines and colors with an interesting array of otherworldly characters that somehow remind me of that crazy parade scene in Satoshi Kon’s Paprika.
The group constantly blurs the lines between fine art — they have shown at Art Seasons and have public installations at the Promenade station in Singapore — and design work, with some great collaborations with MTV, Timeout, Bazaar and even the Rolling Stones.
Phunk often mentions that they create mythological tales — creating a universe where ancient symbols interact with current daily symbols. Their site says they want to depict universal tales social satire, humanity morality, rock n’ roll ethos, contemporary culture and PHUNK’s unique witty sense of humor. The concept of ‘universality’ in the age of modern globalization is a constant theme in their works.
Phunk Studio
Website: http://www.phunkstudio.com/
Based in: Singapore
Active since: 1994
Works primarily in: illustration, graphic design, motion and sculpture.
Public Collection:
Singapore Art Museum, Singapore
UNEEC Culture and Education Foundation, Taiwan
Public Art:
2010 Dreams In Social Cosmic Odyssey, Promenade MRT Station, LTA, Singapore
Awards:
Macromedia International Type Design 1998
Apple Design Competition 1998 — Finalist
American Center of Design — The 100 Show, 2000
British Design & Art Direction 2001- Finalist
Singapore Design Awards 2002–1 Silver, 1 Bronze
Singapore Design Awards 2004- 1 Gold, 5 Finalist
Singapore Street Style Awards 2005 — Winner (Visual Arts Category) and Overall Grand Award Winner
President’s Design Award 2007 — Designer of the Year
I-S Magazine Reader’s Choice Award — Artist of the Year 2011, 2012, 2013
Asia Design Journal writes about art and design in Asia. We’re profiling artists and designers, their studios and their remarkable work.
