New community-driven exhibits and programmes celebrate Punggol’s heritage
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Artist Esther Siah created a miniature paper diorama of her grandparents' pig farm in Punggol that she grew up on.
ST PHOTO: DESMOND FOO
Megan Wee
SINGAPORE – The tech-focused Punggol region today is a far cry from the pig farm that Ms Esther Siah remembers growing up on as a child.
The 51-year-old paper quilling artist recreated her memories of childhood at her grandparents’ farm through a series of seven intricate miniature paper dioramas, with her favourite being a scene of the pigs with their manure.
“I had a love-hate relationship with the pigs. They look very cute now, but when I was staying on the farm, it was really noisy and there was a stench,” she said. “When I went to school, my classmates would look around and say, how come there’s a funny smell?”
Through her artwork titled Dear Punggol, Ms Siah said she wanted to honour her childhood on the farm for its role in developing her creativity and courage.
Her dioramas are among a series of exhibits showcasing Punggol’s heritage that will be on display from March 14 to 29 at the Punggol Regional Library.
Ms Esther Siah’s dioramas are among a series of exhibits showcasing Punggol’s heritage.
ST PHOTO: DESMOND FOO
The exhibits are part of efforts under Heritage Activation Node @ Punggol, an initiative started in 2025 by the National Heritage Board (NHB) and independent arts organisation OH! Open House to inspire greater community involvement in Punggol.
The inaugural two-week Open House showcases the history, memories and daily life of Punggol residents over the years through 12 community projects, site-specific installations, heritage trails and art-based heritage programmes at Waterway Point and neighbouring public spaces.
“The intent is for people of all walks of life – who live in, who visit or who want to learn more about Punggol – to share their stories, heritage (and) family histories or to volunteer to learn more,” said Mr Gerald Wee, NHB’s director of education and community outreach, at a media preview on March 12.
This is also a way to foster community interaction and strengthen the bonds within society, he added.
The exhibits are part of efforts under Heritage Activation Node @ Punggol.
ST PHOTO: DESMOND FOO
Another programme highlight is a new Punggol neighbourhood storybook featuring 10 short stories developed from oral history interviews and archival research. The book includes activities for individuals of all ages to encourage the exploration and discovery of heritage in Punggol’s contemporary spaces. Programme participants can redeem the book for free.
Mr Alan Oei, executive director of OH! Open House, said the book focuses on how people on the ground have shaped and changed the area. “There’s so much fantastic infrastructure in Punggol today, but it is traditionally a very heritage-rich neighbourhood, and I don’t think that the community here has had a chance to take root,” he added.
“It’s a chance for us to think about what we have lost along the way, but more importantly what we can build in the future since heritage is not just something from the past – it’s a living thing.”
The initiative also spotlights four ground-up community projects selected from about 15 submissions following NHB’s first public call for collaboration in 2025. This includes a virtual reality (VR) art workshop on Punggol’s flora and fauna.
Mr Benedict Yu, a visceral reality artist and Punggol resident, said he curated the experience to allow families with children aged seven to 15 years old to not only examine the flora and fauna they encounter in Punggol via virtual reality but also recreate scenes of the coconut plantations that once covered the neighbourhood.
“It’s very intuitive. You wear the VR headset, press a button and you can draw,” the 29-year-old said.
Another exhibit is Marking Matters?: Marking Punggol, a collection of 99 papier-mache stool-shaped sculptures handcrafted by Thai contemporary artist Mit Jai Inn. Individuals have a chance to bring a sculpture home when they pledge to volunteer 80 to 300 hours with a Punggol-based charity or non-profit group.
Marking Matters?: Marking Punggol is a collection of 99 papier-mache stool-shaped sculptures handcrafted by Thai contemporary artist Mit Jai Inn, pictured here with his partner Jarupatcha Achavasmit.
ST PHOTO: DESMOND FOO
Submissions of proposals for a second public call for collaboration for Heritage Activation Node @ Punggol will be open from March 14 to June 30. Interested community groups and individuals can visit http://go.gov.sg/han-cfc for more information.
Members of the public can also find out more about the open house programmes and book ticketed experiences at https://www.roots.gov.sg/han/Neighborhoods/Punggol
Correction note: This story has been updated for accuracy after NHB provided additional details.
