Why Artist Lee Xin Li Wants To Capture Scenes of Singapore in His Detailed Illustrations

Against Singapore’s ever-changing landscape, artist Lee Xin Li captures slices of life, from city streets to food culture, in his art

The world saw a cycling boom in 2020—and it was no different in Singapore, with many taking it up as a form of exercise amid Covid-19 restrictions. For Lee Xin Li, it has been a mode of transport for commuting from home to his studio, even before the pandemic. “It’s my little way of going green,” shares the illustrator.

After not being able to travel for nearly two years, Lee has developed a new routine: cycling through the different neighbourhoods—Serangoon, Bedok, or anywhere his bicycle takes him—two to three times a week, to discover his own backyard. “I realised that when travel was possible before the pandemic, I wanted to visit all the heritage sites overseas … while there are places in Singapore that are slowly disappearing,” he says.

It was during one of these cycling trips that he discovered Eek Heng Hup Kee, a 1970s-era provision shop in Fernhill Road. Located near Orchard Road, it is the last place one would expect to see a kampong-style structure with zinc roof. This inspired a new illustration for Lee’s ongoing Singapore Street series, where he chronicles just that—the city’s iconic streets, including Geylang Road, Tanglin Halt and Cluny Road.

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Above Lee's "Singapore Street" series

You can say that Singapore is a recurring muse in his body of work. “I think it’s only natural as I grew up here and there’s sentimental value and an attachment, from the food to the architecture you come across on the way to school or work, and even Singlish,” explains the artist, who also goes by the moniker Pok Pok & Away. “Then there are some changes you notice as you grow older, like the hawker stall you used to frequent is no longer around. This is motivation for me to draw and capture these landscapes, in their time and from my memory of them, before they disappear.”

This interest in built heritage is perhaps influenced by his training in architecture and recent three-year stint at DP Architects—and also why he understands that delicate balance between preservation and modernisation. “It’s not just the physical structures that you want to keep, it’s also the intangible value, culture and heritage you want to preserve for future generations. For a place so small and changing so fast, these provide tangible anchors for the roots of Singapore.”

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Above Artist Lee Xin Li

It is his attention to the minutiae that delights those who come across his amazingly detailed works. Take for instance In Our Time, the lifesized map of Singapore displayed outside the Float @ Marina Bay during the National Day period in August. (Lee was the chief illustrator for this year’s National Day Parade.) Adapted from an installation he first presented at the Singapore Art Museum in 2018, the new edition was updated with elements Lee describes as “Easter eggs” waiting to be discovered, from a mandarin duck that was spotted in a Hougang canal to the Pulau Ubin community dog Kopi-O (which sadly passed away recently), alongside landmarks and pop culture references that many Singaporeans would recognise.

While it is one thing to create works that resonate with Singaporeans, it is another thing to showcase Singapore to the world, which Lee is helping to do at the Singapore Pavilion for the ongoing Expo 2020 Dubai, which ends in March 2022. In line with the City in Nature vision, he has illustrated some of the city’s most iconic sights, including Jewel Changi Airport, Gardens by the Bay and the Marina Bay skyline; visitors can take home these snapshots of Singapore.

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Above Lee has illustrated some of the city's most iconic sights for visitors to the Singapore Pavilion for the ongoing Expo 2020

Besides architecture and heritage, food also captures Lee’s interest as evident in Makan, a visual compendium of Singapore’s rich food culture, including nasi lemak, prata and bak chor mee. “As Singaporeans, we love our food—it can have so much meaning and resonates with a lot of people.”

Lee himself is torn between Hainanese chicken rice, and Hainanese-style satay from the recently closed Chuan Kee Satay at Old Airport Road Food Centre, as his favourite dish. But one thing’s for sure, food is a big part of his cycling trips. He sets out in the wee hours “to avoid vehicular traffic, and now also cycling traffic”, and usually ends those trips with breakfast at a neighbourhood eatery. And this has inspired a new series of informal drawings of hawker stalls and coffee shops, which he posts on his Instagram account: @xinli29288.

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While most of his illustrations are drawn digitally, Lee makes it a point to bring his sketchbook wherever he goes. “I still like the feeling of pen on paper, rather than taking photos because I think live sketching captures a certain moment and feel. If you are feeling a bit impatient, it’s reflected in the strokes; it can sometimes be meditative too.”

That, and a bowl of bak kut teh from Kai Juan Eating House in Balestier or charcoal-fired kopi-o siu dai and kaya toast from Xiang Chang Coffee Shop in Amoy Street, is pure bliss for this artist who remains steadfast in documenting the place he calls home.