Overview
- A young artist power-washing a pavement outside Mountbatten MRT was stopped by station staff, the police took his statement and said no offence was committed while advising he seek an MP endorsement or a busking permit.
- SMRT staff later cleaned the same section of pavement, effectively erasing the artwork and prompting the artist to publicise the removal on social media.
- Mountbatten MP Gho Sze Kee said the area falls under SMRT control, asked local arts contacts to reach out to the artist, and invited other budding artists to engage with her on neighbourhood works.
- Other MPs publicly offered alternative sites and support for sanctioned pieces, and SMRT said it would welcome talks about longer-running collaborations rather than temporary power-washed works.
- The episode exposed unclear lines of responsibility between transport operators, town councils and regulators and has already led to increased public interest and business inquiries for the artist, raising the likelihood of formal, permitted projects going forward.