As Phunk enters its 25th year, the strength of this collective still remains steadfast and strong. “We learned through our ups and downs, and we also had our pivotal moments where we argued,” says Tan. “But we’re also able to catch each other’s thoughts quite well. Before we speak, we can sort of pre-empt what the other person will say; thus we can also pre-empt how we work with each other in a harmonious sense.”
Besides launching an exhibition and an exclusive robot collection at The Artling in celebration of their 25th anniversary, the homegrown design collective has also released a monograph that offers an arresting insight into Phunk’s works over the years. Authored by Justin Zhuang, a local design writer and researcher, the book allows readers to gaze into Phunk’s perspective via their works and in-depth interviews.
The Straits Times
Singapore collective Phunk s art of design feted by London publisher Thames & Hudson
(From left) Alvin Tan, Jackson Tan and William Chan at the SEA Focus art fair in Alexandra Distripark.ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
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Left to right: Rirkrit Tiravanija,
untitled 2016 (nothing) (2016); Tobias Rehberger,
Mother without child 3 (2019): Kristoffer Ardeña,
Ghost Painting (Cracked Category): National Bookstore (2020). Exhibition view:
hyper–horizon, S.E.A. Focus 2021, Tanjong Pagar Distripark, Singapore (22–31 January 2021). Courtesy S.E.A Focus. Photo: Toni Cuhadi.
With the aim to spark new connections between works of art from Southeast Asia , the presentation is accessible online with S.E.A. Focus Digital and physically at the S.E.A. Focus Curated showcase, titled
hyper–horizon, presented at the warehouse complex Tanjong Pagar Distripark.
This year s edition eschews a traditional booth structure for a fluid design by Randy Chan of Zarch Collaboratives to offer a borderless experience , reflecting Singapore s position as a crucial hub for the region s art scene.
How Phunk pioneered a riotous clash of art and design in Singapore
New book Control Chaos looks back on 25 years of Phunk – the Singapore design collective that mashed creative disciplines together with its eye-popping work 14/01/2021 8:55 am
The monograph – named after a 2003 artwork – looks back on the early days of the studio, which was launched around the same time that the Apple Macintosh and software such as Adobe Illustrator were beginning to be widely used.
Phunk began life in 1994 as a streetwear label selling T-shirts covered with digitally illustrated imagery, but soon also made a name for themselves via their Guerrilla Fonts foundry. Later Phunk launched magazines and websites, landed work doing moving graphics for MTV, and other multimedia commissions for brands such as Levi’s and Casio – often mixing disparate styles and influences in joyous fashion.