How Singapore is using art to make its MRT stations the most beautiful in the world

SINGAPORE – If you have ever passed through Newton MRT’s Downtown Line platform, you may have noticed the sprawling, 11.4m-tall black-and-white mural located right by the escalators that take commuters up and down from the platform. 

Or perhaps not. After all, MRT stations are the epitome of liminal spaces. They are never a destination in and of themselves, but a transient space where people pass through, often with haste. 

But artworks such as the mural titled Newton – created by local visual artist Tan Zi Xi – have become an integral part of the fabric of Singapore’s MRT network.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) describes the artworks, which are commissioned under a programme called Art In Transit (AIT), as comprising Singapore’s largest public art showcase.

AIT first kicked off in 1997, with the North East Line. All new MRT stations that have opened since then have been furnished with unique artworks, often reflecting the location and history of the station. 

And from 2026, LTA has been expanding the AIT programme to existing stations along the North-South and East-West Lines.

If MRT stations are just spaces where people pass through, what is the point of such careful curation? 

One reason, says LTA, is to “create meaningful and memorable moments within the routine of daily travel”.

But beyond just making the stations more visually interesting, they can also contribute to Singapore’s overall urban identity, says content creator and heritage educator Ho Yong Min.

“These artworks give stations their own character, helping them become recognisable places rather than simply interchangeable points along the MRT network,” says Ho, who is behind the Instagram and TikTok accounts of The Urbanist Singapore.

And even though MRT stations are inherently transient spaces, they are nevertheless built to last for generations.

Hence, by placing artworks within them, “we’re also embedding stories, memories and ideas into the city’s physical fabric”, adds Ho.

“Collectively, these works also become a record of their time. They reflect where Singapore was as a society when they were commissioned, what stories we wanted to tell, and how we saw the relationship between art and public space,” he notes.

“That’s something future generations will inherit alongside the infrastructure itself.”

Beyond their visual appeal, these artworks can also have a functional role in making the stations easier to navigate. 

Take, for instance, Justin Lee’s Old Chinatown In New Maxwell Life at Maxwell station on the Thomson-East Coast Line. 

It is not a one-and-done piece, but spread out throughout the station.

At one entrance, hawker lightbulbs and a child eating suggest the way towards Maxwell Food Centre. At another entrance, clouds point commuters to the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum.

The LTA spokesperson says: “On the platform, the artwork features the station name in English and Chinese, reinforcing a sense of identity while assisting commuters with wayfinding.”

What does it take to become an MRT artwork?

Creating and curating artwork for MRT stations is a unique challenge, notes Ho.

“You have someone’s attention for only a matter of seconds. The artwork has to be visually compelling enough to catch someone’s eye while also rewarding those who choose to look more closely.

“As someone who enjoys exploring urban spaces, I find that challenge particularly interesting because it asks how design can create moments of curiosity within a space that’s fundamentally transient. Every artist will approach that differently, but I think that’s what makes Art In Transit such an interesting platform,” he adds.

When curating artwork for new stations, LTA conducts a public call for artists who are Singaporeans or Singapore permanent residents to submit their portfolios and curriculum vitae. These submissions are reviewed by the appointed curators, with oversight from the Art Review Panel (ARP) and LTA.

For existing stations, the ARP and LTA shortlist artists based on their track record and ability to deliver projects of similar scale and nature. Artists are then invited to submit concept proposals. 

Singapore’s ambassador-at-large, Professor Tommy Koh, leads the ARP for new stations, while award-winning architect Mok Wei Wei chairs the ARP for existing stations. Other members of the ARP include artists, art educators and architects.

“The process is designed to attract a diverse pool of established and emerging artists to participate in the AIT programme,” says LTA’s spokesperson.

Koh says there are three main considerations in curating artwork for the stations. “First, the artwork must be inspiring and accessible to the commuting public. Second, it should take into account the location of the station and the history of the site or neighbourhood. Third, the artwork must be safe and technically feasible.”

He adds: “We understand that an MRT station is not an art gallery. We therefore select art which resonates with a busy commuter. We have extended dialogues with some of the curators and artists in order to get the best results.”

Even as the MRT network continues to grow – and with it, the collection showcased by AIT – Koh has high hopes for what the programme can achieve. “My big ambition for Singapore is to have the most beautiful MRT stations in the world.”