:phunk is a contemporary art and design collective based in Singapore.
Alvin Tan (b. 1974), Melvin Chee (b. 1974), Jackson Tan (b. 1974) and William Chan (b. 1973) are 4 Singaporean artists/designers. They met in LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore and came together in 1994 to form :phunk.
Described as "The Champion of Singapore's Graphic Scene" (Creative Review, UK), "Asia's hottest agency" (Computer Arts, UK), "one of the world's foremost cutting-edge design collectives" (Asia Tatler, Hong Kong) and "iconic representatives of the new wave of young Asian creators" (Get it Louder, China).
They have propagated a visual signature that seamlessly blends and reinterprets their diverse influences such as traditional Chinese craft, philosophy and folklore, Hong Kong wuxia pulp fiction, Japanese manga and otaku subculture, Western popular culture, art and design movements into a singular creative thought that reflects their multi-cultural identity, background and environment.
Labeled "Creators of modern urban mythological tales" (Chinese Contemporary Art News, Taiwan), :phunk has created a visual universe densely populated by ancient gods and modern creatures, to depict universal tales social satire, humanity morality, rock n' roll ethos, contemporary culture and :phunk's unique witty sense of humor. The concept of 'universality' in the age of modern globalization is a constant theme in their works.
They constantly challenge the conventional notion and definition of the 'artist' and 'commercial design studio' by constantly blurring the boundaries between both, mixing Neo Pop Art ideology with Post-Modernist design sensibilities. Their cross-disciplinary approach is best described as "an aesthetic collective consciousness" focused on experimenting with new approaches to visual expressions. Their expansive scope of projects spans across art, design, publishing, fashion, music, film and interactive.
Their works are featured in many international publications and awarded in various design award shows. One of their artworks titled 'ELECTRICITY ' was cited in the book, 'Graphic Design, A New History' as "Instances of truly global graphic design". They were awarded 'Designer of the Year' in 2007 by the President's Design Award, the highest accolade for designers in Singapore.
Starting by their first solo exhibition in Japan taking place at DIESEL DENIM GALLERY AOYAMA, they are going to have two collaborative exhibitions with Keiichi Tanaami, the psychedelic master of Japanese art scene, held in Singapore in August and October.
They have propagated a visual signature that seamlessly blends and reinterprets their diverse influences such as traditional Chinese craft, philosophy and folklore, Hong Kong wuxia pulp fiction, Japanese manga and otaku subculture, Western popular culture, art and design movements into a singular creative thought that reflects their multi-cultural identity, background and environment.
Labeled "Creators of modern urban mythological tales" (Chinese Contemporary Art News, Taiwan), :phunk has created a visual universe densely populated by ancient gods and modern creatures, to depict universal tales social satire, humanity morality, rock n' roll ethos, contemporary culture and :phunk's unique witty sense of humor. The concept of 'universality' in the age of modern globalization is a constant theme in their works.
They constantly challenge the conventional notion and definition of the 'artist' and 'commercial design studio' by constantly blurring the boundaries between both, mixing Neo Pop Art ideology with Post-Modernist design sensibilities. Their cross-disciplinary approach is best described as "an aesthetic collective consciousness" focused on experimenting with new approaches to visual expressions. Their expansive scope of projects spans across art, design, publishing, fashion, music, film and interactive.
Their works are featured in many international publications and awarded in various design award shows. One of their artworks titled 'ELECTRICITY ' was cited in the book, 'Graphic Design, A New History' as "Instances of truly global graphic design". They were awarded 'Designer of the Year' in 2007 by the President's Design Award, the highest accolade for designers in Singapore.
Starting by their first solo exhibition in Japan taking place at DIESEL DENIM GALLERY AOYAMA, they are going to have two collaborative exhibitions with Keiichi Tanaami, the psychedelic master of Japanese art scene, held in Singapore in August and October.