Heritage
Conservation of Chen Wen Hsi’s Murals
The murals on view today bear witness not only to the artist’s vision, but also to a remarkable feat of conservation and relocation efforts by various teams of Singapore-based specialists. Their expertise and dedication ensured that the works could be safely extracted, preserved, and reinstated, even as the entire house was dismantled and rebuilt. This intricate and multi-phase process unfolded over six years and had to overcome issues that arose due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the forefront was Studio Lapis, led by conservation architect Ho Weng Hin. As a consultancy specialising in architectural and built heritage conservation, Studio Lapis advised on the safest method to extract the mural wall. This was no small feat, given that the wall was structurally integrated with its surroundings – set in place with a deep foundation, supporting beams and embedded steel through the middle of the wall.
Painted on a layer of plaster laid over brickwork, the artwork surfaces were also becoming brittle due to age. To safeguard the structural and artistic integrity of the wall during removal proved an extremely challenging and cumbersome process.
Prior to the extraction process in 2021, conservators from YH Conservation were engaged to stabilise and safeguard the mural surfaces. Both murals, located on either side of the wall, were meticulously protected with multiple pieces of Japanese washi paper adhered using fish glue - a method designed to prevent any artwork damage, such as bits of paint flaking off during vibrations and movements.
The delicate task of extraction was undertaken by Gin Lee Construction through a carefully controlled demolition process. The cutting and removal of the wall from its surrounding structures took over four days, carried out with great care to minimise vibrations and prevent any incidental disintegration of the wall. The wall, weighing around 8000kg, was hoisted by a crane using a customised brace system that also kept it stabilised for off-site transport.
During the rebuilding phase of the property, Lotus Fine Art Logistics provided secure temporary storage for the wall murals. As the construction experienced multiple delays during the Covid-19 years, the wall murals ended up in storage for over two years.
In 2023, Thiam Building Construction executed the complex task of reinstating the wall murals on a new floor and in a different orientation at 5 Kingsmead. As the property was still under construction, the team faced considerable logistical challenges, including manoeuvring the crane and carefully hoisting the wall structure across wide, pillarless excavated areas. With the wall murals successfully secured in their new positions, the architects continued with the remaining vertical construction of the house.
After the completion of the entire property in early 2025, conservation specialists from YH Conservation and BARC Labs could finally proceed with vital restoration treatments on the two murals to preserve their surfaces and material conditions.
The redesign of the new property on 5 Kingsmead was entrusted to Alan Tay and Sarah Ng of Formwerkz Architects. Following numerous site visits and close collaboration with Audrey Koh and the rest of the team, Formwerkz Architects developed a sensitive architectural solution that honoured the mural’s historical and artistic significance, reintegrating it into the fabric of a new home.
