SINGAPORE — PHUNK is an internationally acclaimed, Singapore-based contemporary design and art collective. Founded in 1994 by Alvin Tan, Melvin Chee, Jackson Tan and William Chan when they were students at Lasalle College of the Arts, they developed a novel approach to collective art-making based on the collaborative aesthetic of a rock-and-roll band and informed by a shared interest in urban subcultures.
PHUNK’s art has been featured in numerous biennale, museum and gallery exhibitions internationally, including the Fukuoka Art Triennale , the Animamix Biennale and the London Design Festival. PHUNK has also worked with major brands such as Nike, Diesel, Casio G Shock , Levis, UNIQLO and MTV as well as with emerging designers and alternative street labels. With a strong emphasis on artistic collaboration, PHUNK collaborated with artists as diverse as The Rolling Stones and pop artist Keiichi Tanaami.
Inspired by ‘Control Chaos’, a key work that sparked PHUNK’s creative journey, this monograph is organized around three themes: ‘Collective Consciousness’, which explores PHUNK’s early development; ‘Criti-Cool’, which looks at the challenges of practising art in Singapore; and ‘Connecting Worlds’, which examines works that reflect our increasingly globalized world. With accompanying texts based upon exclusive interviews with the collective, this inspirational overview is richly illustrated with original artwork and will be essential reading for anyone interested in Singapore’s art and design scene over the past twenty-five years.
Author Justin Zhuang is a writer and researcher with an interest in design, cities, history and media. He has written several books about Singapore design, including INDEPENDENCE: The History of Graphic Design in Singapore Since the 1960s.
PHUNK will be selling a small number of Artist Editions directly from their online store phunksg.bigcartel.com (also linked on their Instagram profile @phunk_sg). The Artist Edition will include a book that is individually signed by PHUNK, bundled with a copy of PHUNK’s 25th Anniversary 10” sticker album.
The book is available online and in-store:
Singapore – Books Actually (booksactuallyshop.com); Kinokuniya (Main Store); Basheer Graphics; Amazon Singapore (Amazon.com)
Australia – Aust. National Gallery; Better Read Than Dead; Boffins Bookshop; Bookface – Pacific Fair; Crow Books; Diabolik Books; Dymocks – Brisbane; Dymocks – Melbourne; Gallery Bookshop; Gallery Shop – St Kilda Rd; Gleebooks Pty Ltd; James Bennett Pty Ltd; Kinokuniya Bookstores of A; Modern Times Bookshop; New Edition; Peter Pal Library Supplies; Qld Art Gallery Bookshop; Readings – St Kilda; Readings Books & Music Readings Records & Books; Uni Bookshop (Otago) Ltd
HK – Eslite HK
Indonesia – Periplus; Kinokuniya
Japan – Tsutaya; GA Gallery bookshop
Korea – Kyobo
Malaysia – Kinokuniya; Basheer Graphics
Philippines – Sketchbooks
Taiwan – Unifacmanu; Eslite; Knowledge
Thailand – Asia Books; Kinokuniya; Smith Project (The Papersmith @ Gaysorn Plaza)
Vietnam- Asia Book Company (asiabooks.com) Phuong Nam; Reading Cabin HCM
