Singapore art and design collective Phunk revisits Control Chaos, one of their most iconic works, while celebrating their 25th anniversary in their new book
In 2003, design collective Phunk created an artwork post-9/11 and after the global severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic. Nearly two decades on, the group finds themselves in a strangely similar setting whilst updating this very artwork, entitled Control Chaos.
“It’s kind of surreal to think that fast forward from then to today, we’re doing this,” says Alvin Tan, one of the founding members of Phunk. “We did this work during the Sars (outbreak), and it survived 18 years till now. It’s like a cycle; and now that we’re doing this again, it just might survive till the next big thing that is going to hit us.”
Phunk, founded in 1994 by Tan and fellow creators Melvin Chee, Jackson Tan, and William Chan, is one of the most recognisable names in Singapore’s art and design scene. The internationally-acclaimed collective has collaborated extensively with international brands and artists such as Herman Miller, Nike, Rolls Royce Singapore, MTV, Levi’s, and The Rolling Stones.
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