Diploma in Fine Arts graduates Tiara Choo Mei Sin and Ayra Nasha Binte Muhammad Arifin pose in front of their mural for Art in Transit.
From March to August 2025, Rochor MRT station enjoyed fresh creative touches by the McNally School of Fine Arts’ Class of 2025. Diploma in Fine Arts graduates Tiara Choo Mei Sin and Ayra Nasha Binte Muhammad Arifin, BA (Hons) Fine Arts graduates Hanaa Cassim and Joey Leung Si Gi, and MA Fine Arts graduate Nanaki Singh created four original mural pieces to enliven the station’s upper concourse, Exit B walkway and elevator lobby.
These huge works of art in public spaces were made possible thanks to Art in Transit, an initiative started in 1997 by the Land Transport Authority Singapore (LTA). The initiative transforms MRT station spaces into canvases for original art by local artists, showcasing the local creative community and adding vibrancy to the commute of the millions who use Singapore’s mass rapid transport system daily.
Dr Cissie Fu, Head, McNally School of Fine Arts said, "As Rochor MRT marks its 10th anniversary, we are delighted to have reinvigorated the spirit of commute—etymologically, to change as we move and journey together—with new student work writ large at a key but often undersung landmark for LASALLE learners through this partnership with LTA."
Nanaki, who created the two-part When I Meet You, Downtown, reflected on the industry experience, “They gave us a space to work with and we were able to compose our art freely within that range. I was quite surprised to see the production of my work on such a large scale, especially since the fragmented pieces were digitised from small paintings.”
Next to Downtown is Fragments in Motion. Tiara, who teamed up with Ayra on the digital illustration, explained how their mural came to be: “Over several months, Ayra and I merged our artistic styles through experimentation and collaging, creating a piece that reflects both of us and Singapore’s cultural diversity. Learning how to bring a large-scale work to life together—from the planning stage to how it would interact with a roving audience—was both challenging and rewarding."
Hanaa and Joey’s I’m trying to find… wove together the text-based explorations of the two artists in a visual conversation that followed the traveller up a long passageway to a lift landing.
These murals joined Tracing Memories, permanent artwork adorning the central lift shaft requisitioned for the 2015 opening of Rochor MRT station from the School of Design Communication and McNally School of Fine Arts’ Andreas Schlegel, Betty Susiarjo, Chelsea Zhao Xin, Chen Shi Tong, Luke Heng, Ronald Cheah and Yang Xiu Ting.
